


Where Separation Ends

by KanarandTarkaleanTea



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Time, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Heartbreak, Idiots in Love, It'll get juicier in later chapters, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn, Swearing, recovering from trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2020-04-12 01:34:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 75,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19121926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KanarandTarkaleanTea/pseuds/KanarandTarkaleanTea
Summary: Kravitz's life is fine, thank you very much. He's got his music and friends, a job, his cat, and a routine. He's worked hard to rebuild after his loss. Now if only his best friend could accept that he's happy with the way things are...Taako's good out here, thank you very much. He's fine. So what if Lup has gone and tied the knot with Barry and doesn't have time for him anymore? Or that he doesn't have any money? Or that his closest friends are chucklef*cks? He's still hot as sh*t and any dude would be lucky to be with ol' Taako. (Now if only he could convince himself of all that...)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! This is my first TAZ fic, so I'm not sure if I have the voices right. Also, this is un-beta'd so I apologize for typos, etc. (I'm trying to give myself permission to write without fetter, to try and silence my debilitating inner critic). Thanks for reading and bearing with me!

Kravitz looked down at his phone and groaned. He was right in the middle of the sonata! He considered letting the call go to voicemail, but knowing Brian, he’d probably just keep calling.

“I feel like I’m going to regret this, ‘Seph,” Kravitz said to his cat as he answered the call. “The answer is “No”, Brian.”

“But, dahlink, you don’t even know vhat ze qvesstion iz.” When Kravitz didn’t respond right away, the voice on the speakerphone turned cajoling. “Come on, Krav, aren’t you ze least bit curious?”

Kravitz sighed, running a hand over Persephone’s black fur as she walked over the keyboard. “No.”

“Ack, you’re no fun.”

“So you always tell me.”

“Vell, I’m alvays right.” An exaggerated huff came over the line. “Tell me: vhen vas ze last time you vent out?”

“Brian…”

“I’ll tell you vhen. It vas ze last time _I_ dragged you out.”

“Brian, I appreciate you thinking of me, I do, but…”

“Pardon me for tying to help get you, mein oldest and dearest friend, unt pretty boy to fuck.”

Kravitz rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Brian…”

“ _Gott im Himmel_! I really am unt sonovabitch, ja? Doing vhat I can to keep your schwanz from falling off from lack of use.”

Kravitz flinched. It was a bad sign when Brian started in with the German. “Brian…”

“Nevermind zat I never get to see you, because you’re alvays so busy. Alvays at vork, or vorking out, or playink ze harpsichord.”

“Brian.”

“As zough anyvone even plays ze harpsichord anymore!"

“BRIAN!” he yelled.

“Vas?!” Brian yelled back.

“Fine.”

There was a pause, then a tentative “Vas?”

“You win. I’ll go.”

“Oh!” Kravitz could hear the sound of his best friend’s hands clapping over the line. “Och, mein Liebling! Ve are going to have such a vonderful time!”

“Just tell me one thing.”

“Of course, dahlink.”

“Please tell me we’re not going to the place you dragged me to last time.”

Brian snickered. “Vhat? You didn’t like it?”

He let the silence elongate until Brian relented with a gusty sigh. “No, ve are not going to Ze Dungeon. Ve are just going to a vanilla little club vit ze drinking unt ze dancing, ja? A place for you to be pretty unt to see ze pretty.”

Kravitz was 100% certain it wouldn’t be his scene, and he wasn’t all that fond of crowds, and he was 99.9% sure that Brian’s invitation had an ulterior motive, but he’d already lost. “Fine.”

“Vunderbar! I vill be zere in unt hour. Vear somezing vit some color, ja?” he said and the line disconnected.

An hour... Kravitz stood with a groan. An hour was just enough time for him to get ready and _really_ start regretting answering the call in the first place. Resigned, he headed into his bedroom to get dressed.

The problem was: Brian was right. It _had_ been a while since he’d gone out. After pulling long hours at Raven’s, working out, and practicing his music, he didn’t usually have the excess time or energy to go out and try to meet people. Not to mention that the last few times he’d gone out had hardly been what he’d call pleasant. There had been the ill-fated blind date Brian had set him up on…

 _“But he likes classical muzik, dahlink!”_ Kravits mimicked Brian’s accent as he put on a black silk shirt. The guy might have been OK, but Kravitz had enough issues with depression, he didn’t need some melancholy violinist to add to his problems.

Then the time before that, there had been the “accidental” meeting that Brian contrived to introduce him to John the Sociopath.

 _“He knows vhat he vants unt he knows how to get it_ ,” Kravitz mimicked again as he put on glossy black eyeliner and dark burgundy eyeshadow.

And before _that_ had been the guy who had shown up in a techni-color bowtie and wouldn’t stop talking about his “pleasure rooms”.

Yuck.

Kravitz rolled his eyes as he pulled his locs back into a ponytail, weaving in a few gold loops and maroon ribbons.

Worst of all, though, had been The Dungeon.

He gave a shiver.

Kravitz and Brian had met in middle school. He’d been the goth kid who wore black nail polish and read tarot cards. Brian was the foreign student with a too-specific interest in arachnology and sleight-of-hand. They’d been partnered up on a science fair project and found they shared a similar sense of humor. After that, they’d become best friends pretty quickly. They were the first people they’d come out to, the ones that they called whenever anything noteworthy happened in their lives. They’d even managed to maintain their closeness when Brian had gone back to Germany for college.

So, knowing Brian like he did, seeing guys in harnesses and leathers call his best friend from childhood “Dungeon Master” had been a bit surreal for him. And wholly unpleasant — there were just some things he didn’t really need to know about his best friend's sex life.

Kravitz buttoned the embroidered black waistcoat and affixed his pocket watch. He knew Brian would give him hell for dressing all in black, but if he was going to be dragged out to some miserably crowded club, it was at least going to be on his terms. He wasn’t going to pretend to be someone he wasn’t just to go along with whatever scheme his friend was playing.

And there was most certainly more going on than what his friend had claimed.

A while later, Brian texted that he was downstairs.

“Vhat did I say about color!” were Brian’s first words as Kravitz got into the car.

He shrugged. “You knew what you were getting when you called me.”

In contrast to Kravitz’s distinguished suit, Brian was wearing shiny blue booty shorts over spiderweb-patterned fishnet stockings, and his skin-tight shirt had a silver spider emblazoned across it. “Unt here I got us in as VIPs at ze newest club vit ze drinks all covered and you’re going to go in looking like ze Grim Reaper.”

It was a refrain Kravitz was well familiar with, so he changed the subject. “How did you get us in as VIPs?”

“Oh, dahlink, I have all sorts of connections! It’s vun of ze many reasons zey call me “Magic Brian”!”

Kravitz rolled his eyes, catching the amused glance of the driver in the rearview mirror. “No one calls you “Magic Brian”.”

The driver chuckled.

“No vun you know, perhaps, but if you’d stayed a little longer at Ze Dungeon...”

“New rule. I never want to talk about the Dungeon again.”

Brian snorted a laugh.

“So what’s the real reason you’re dragging me out tonight?” Kravitz finally asked.

The smirk Brian shot him was unnerving. “You know me so vell,” Brian said. “Fine. So, it isn’t as though I don’t love to have you vit me, ja? But tonight I need you to be mein very hot, very strong, very jealousy-inducing boyfriend.”

Kravitz’s head hit the back of his seat. “God. Not again.”

“Please Krav!”

“You know I hate this.”

“I vould do ze same for you.”

“I would never ask it!”

“I don’t see how zat is my fault. It’s not like I don’t _try_ to be unt good vingman for you.”

“Just tell me; is this going to be one of those nights where the guy tries to beat me up? Or one where you end up ditching me early so you can go bang in his car?” Kravitz heard the driver stifle a laugh.

Brian’s smirk became more pronounced and he shrugged. “Even money.”

“You owe me so big for this.”

“Don’t vorry, I’ll make it up to you.”

“You’d better.” Kravitz rubbed a hand across his brow. “So what exactly is the situation?”

“Vell, you remember Marvi?”

Kravitz couldn’t control himself. “You can’t be serious! Of course I fucking remember Marvi. This can’t be about Marvi. You absolutely _cannot_ be dragging me out so you can fuck _Marvi_.”

“Ew. No. It is not _about_ Marvi. It is about Klarg.”

“Klarg? Is that even a real name?”

“Who knows? Unt I don’t care. Ze point is, you remember ze time ve vent out to ze place you don’t want me to mention again? Vell, Klarg iz ze bouncer zer, unt he unt I _may_ have hooked up, unt I _may_ have forgotten to return a few texts after I told him ve could _maybe_ date. But maybe I vas just trying to play hard to get, even zhough I _may_ kind of like him. But zen Marvi told me zat he saw Klarg vit eine pretty boy ven he vas _supposed_ to be waiting for me to get back to him. Unt zet Klarg had told Marvi he vas going dancing vit his new boytoy, but zat Marvi vas trying to be a good friend and let me know, because he zinks Klarg and I are perfect for each ozer. And…”

Kravitz waved a hand to interrupt the fast flow of words. “OK. I get it. So, instead of talking to this Klarg like an adult, you decided that the best way to ruin everyone’s night was to show up with me to make him jealous.”

Perturbed at being cut off, Brian just muttered a “Ja.”

“This is ridiculous.”

Brian gave a shrug. “You have no room to pass judgement Mr. _I-Never-Date-Because-I’d-Rather-Sit-at-Home-unt-Play-ze-Harpsichord_.” This time, the driver’s snicker was at Kravitz’s expense, and he felt just the tiniest bit betrayed.

They pulled up at a building with sparkly-pink letters proclaiming it the “Crystal Kingdom.” A line curled around the block. “Here you are, fellas,” said the driver.

“Vunderbar!” Brian said as he bounded out of the car.

Kravitz rubbed his forehead. “This is going to be a nightmare,” he muttered, but then squared his shoulders. “Um, thanks for the ride,” he said, handing over some cash to the driver.

“Sure thing. And good luck with all of _that_ tonight, buddy.”

“Thanks.”

At least Brian hadn’t been lying about the VIP status, and they were able to bypass the line. The promise of free drinks also turned out to be true, but when Kravitz had attempted to order a glass of the house red, Brian had flailed.

“No vine! Only shots. Unt doubles,” Brian had said the last to the bartender. He fixed Kravitz with a stern eye. “I need you to loosen up if ve’re going to pull zis off.”

As the bartender mixed brightly colored liquor together, Kravitz felt his teeth clench. “I don’t want this to end up like that time we went to Felicity Wilde’s.”

This time, Brian did manage to look sheepish. “I promise it von’t, unt I am sorry about zat. But you’re so up tight! You’ve got to relax.”

Drinks handed over, Kravitz looked down into the swirling pink concoction. “You owe me so big.”

The Crystal Kingdom was definitely not Kravtiz’s scene. Everything was hot pink and baby blue and blinking lights splashed magenta splotches across every surface. It was still early enough that he and Brian could claim a place with a good view of the rest of the dancefloor while still being somewhat in the shadows.

They kicked it a while, long enough to have another couple of drinks, when Brian pawed at his sleeve.

“He’s here!” Brian hissed into his ear, tilting his head in the direction of the doorway.

If one thing was for certain in his life, it was that Brian could never be mistaken for discrete. Kravitz at least made the effort to not be so obvious. Playing his “boyfriend” role, he stepped closer to Brian, placed his hands on his hips and swiveled so he could see the doorway. He was prepared to be aghast at his best friend’s dubious taste in men. Somehow, though, this was a bridge too far.

Ug.

Kravitz could admit that he was something of a snob, but the burly man Brian had indicated looked incredibly unrefined. It was as though the guy had made a list on how to look clichéd rough trade and dutifully checked off each box for the evening. If Kravitz in his black finery looked out of place in the whimsically colored club, Klarg, in biker leathers and chains, made Kravitz look practically _on team_.

“Seriously, Brian?” he said into his friend’s ear.

“Judgy Judgy _Herr Toten Hosen_. Didn’t you used to tell me not to judge ze books by ze cover?”

“I meant actual, literal books. You used to only ever read things if there was a spider on the front.”

Brian blew a raspberry.

“I thought you said he was coming with someone?”

“Zat iz vhat Marvi said,” Brian replied, flipping around so that his ass was grinding against Kravitz’s thigh and they were both facing the doorway. “Ack! No! Not him,” he wailed in a thoroughly dejected voice.

Kravitz stilled at his friend’s exclamation. Stealing another glance at the object of Brian’s libido , Kravitz’s mouth got suddenly dry.

Springing onto the dancefloor and grabbing Klarg’s arm was possibly the most stunning man he’d ever seen; warm, dark bronze skin sprinkled with adorable little freckles that shone in the flashing magenta lights; highlighted brown hair; a cropped rainbow-colored top with the phrase “Be Gay. Do Crime” jumbled to read “Do Gay. Be Crime”, and high-waisted, purple-tinged jeans hugging his voluptuous curves.

And to literally top it all off, the man was wearing one of the most ridiculous hats he’d ever seen; purple and pointy like some kind of wizard’s hat, lit up with fairy lights and with baubles and fuzzy things dangling from the brim.

He was mesmerizing.

“Stop staring!” Brian said, flipping around again and grabbing his chin to plant a sloppy kiss against the corner of Kravitz’s lips.

Kravitz cleared his throat, but strained his peripheral vision to the edge of pain to keep looking. “You know him?”

“Yesss,” Brian hissed back. “‘It’s Taako, _from ze TV’_ ,” he said in what was obviously a snarky impression of the man.

“Taako?”

Brian snorted with disdain, but Kravitz knew that sound. “Yes. Taako,” he said, his expression shifting, and yep, there it was, he was on the verge of tears, burying his face in Kravitz’s shoulder. “I _may_ have hooked up viz Taako vonce or tvice a few years ago. Unt he unt Klarg dated each ozer last year. _Gott im Himmel_!” There was an audible sniffle. “Zey must be back togezer. I should have never ignored Klarg’s texts!”

Kravitz sighed, peeling his glance away from the beautiful Taako. “Come on. It’s definitely time for more alcohol,” he soothed as he made his way to the VIP bar on the other side of the room from where Klarg and Taako were starting to dance.

 

* * * * * * * * * * 

“Klarg? I thought you were done with Klarg,” Merle said around a mouth full of chips from his perch on their lumpy couch.

“I _am_ done with Klarg,” Taako said as he applied glittery mascara in the full-length kitchen mirror… the only room, he repeatedly told them, that had the right lighting level to illuminate his immense beauty.

Magnus leaned against the wide-arched doorway that connected living room to kitchen, mouth upended in a worried frown. “Then why are you going out with him?”

Taako turned to his roommates. “Because cha’boy figured a night out, all expenses paid at the fabulous new club...” he fanned jazz hands “… _the Crystal Kingdom_ , would be better than sitting here and playing Uno with you losers.”

“Shows what you know,” Merle snorted, grabbing another handful of chips. “Tonight we’re playing Parcheesi.”

“Even more reason, then.” Taako turned back to the mirror and started applying aquamarine and purple eyeshadow in wide swathes. “Fuckin’ hate Parcheesi,” he muttered.

“Taako,” Magnus said, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Are you sure about this? I thought you two didn’t part on the best of terms.”

Taako blew out a dismissive breath. “Pshaw. Klarg _loves_ Taako.”

Merle quirked a bushy eyebrow. “Didn’t you throw him out of a car?”

“Yes, which is why we agreed to meet at the club instead of sharing a ride. But _anyway_. It’s not like we’re back together. He just needs pretty little _moi_ to hang off his arm and act nasty so he can make his new squeeze jealous.”

Magnus grimaced. “That seems like an incredibly bad idea.”

“It was _my_ idea, so it _can’t_ be a bad one,” Taako took one more look at himself in the mirror, striking a pose. “And it’s been fucking forever since I got out. Fucking selfish Lup making it all official with Barry. Who else am I gonna go dancing with?”

“I dance,” Merle offered.

“That weird interpretive jazz shit does not count, my dude. Anyway, this way, Klarg owes me. I offered to be his candy tonight, so if I ever need something, he’s on the hook.”

“What if he’s not trying to make anyone jealous? What if he’s just trying to get back with you?” Julia asked as she joined Magnus in the doorway.

“Nah, I know the guy he’s after. Ya’ll remember Magic Brian?”

“Oh God,” Merle said, almost spitting out his chips. “Wasn’t that the German guy with the spiders? Didn’t you two get caught…?”

“That was lifetimes ago,” Taako said, waving a dismissive hand. “Totally no thing. But Klarg’s got it bad for the guy. So this way, if I can get Klarg and Brian together, I don’t have to worry about either of them crawling back to ol’ Taako. And the Crystal Kingdom is supposedly _full_ of pretty boys all ripe for the taking!”

Magnus looked at him, eyes full of concern as he wrapped an arm around his fiancée’s shoulders. “I sure wish you went out with better guys.”

“What? So I can settle down like you guys? Like Lup and Barry? Merle and Dav? Nuh-uh. No way. No one’s gonna keep Taako out of the game.” Twisting around, he checked out his ass in the mirror. “Perfect!” he proclaimed. “Don’t wait up!”

“Just promise you’ll call if you need help,” Julia said as Taako made his way to the door.

Taako rolled his eyes. “Like there’s any trouble I can’t get out of,” he said, looping the handle of his umbrella over his wrist. “ _Adios_!”

Thankfully, the club was close enough to their apartment that he could walk… not that he’d tell anyone, but he was a little scant on the _dineros_ at the moment — which made Klarg’s offer to get him into the exclusive new club even more tempting. Since Lup had gone and gotten hitched, she hadn’t been down to go clubbing lately, and it had been weeks since he’d had anyone hit on him… Not that he was lonely or anything. Pshaw. Ridiculous. It was just a little bit of a dry spell. And that was only because he’d been giving off the “don’t fuck with me vibe” pretty hard recently after that horrible night with that asshole and his voyeur sister.

Still, it wouldn’t do to blow off his adoring public for _too_ long.

And Klarg wasn’t really all that bad; he tried to look tough, but Taako had seen his collection of antique tea pots and his extensive assortment of teas and tissanes from around the world. The guy was soft, and Taako could work his charm like a pro. Not that he wanted to get back together with Klarg. Or Brian. But sometimes a guy just needed a reminder that he was the hottest shit in town, and a little appreciation at the clubs offered the perfect opportunity for a refresher.

“Oh, good, you’re here!”

Taako froze, hand going to the button on his umbrella, but when he recognized Klarg he caught himself before the blade popped out. “My dude! You can’t sneak up on a fella like that.” Taako said.

“I’m sorry, I thought you saw me. I was waving at you. And you looked right at me.”

“Well… still…” Taako took in the scene. Fuck, he really had been distracted; he hadn’t even realized he was already at the club. He assessed the line of people waiting to get in. “So, we gotta wait?”

“No, I know the guy at the door,” Klarg said, smiling that stupid smile of his “Oh, and drinks are on me.”

“Sweet... I mean, yeah, of course they are.”

“Thanks again for doing this, Taako.”

As Klarg held the door for him, Taako rolled his eyes. What a dope. Taako definitely didn’t feel guilty for using him; either tonight for free drinks, _or_ when they’d dated the previous year. Klarg was just the kind of guy that got used. It was just the way the world worked.

And he was _definitely_ not going out with the schmuck tonight because he hoped that he could help Klarg and Brian get over themselves. Taako remembered how Brian was: dude was obvs playing some little game because he was secretly afraid of commitment (Which Taako knew _nothing_ about, thank you very much). If he could just convince Brian to give it a shot, the guy might actually make Klarg happy ~~and treat the big lug better than ol’ Taako had~~.

He looked around the room as they made their way to the bar. It was already crowded; the pink lights flashing off of all the happy-shiny partiers. Next to him, Klarg was like a black hole amidst a candy-colored nebula. He sighed. _Way to read the room, fella,_ he thought with a pointed look at his companion. “I’ve seen you out of leather before, Vitamin K. Why the Glen-Hughes getup?”

“Well, Brian said he liked it.”

“Oh, god, you met him at the Dungeon, didn’t you?”

“Well, I was working the door, and…”

Taako couldn’t even deal. “Dude, you have got to stop letting guys pick you up there. They’re only nice to you because they want to get in for free.”

A furrow canyoned between Klarg’s eyebrows. “Do you think _that’s_ why Brian didn’t text back?”

Ug. Taako didn’t know how this was even his problem… but the forlorn look on the idiot’s face was harshing his vibe. He groaned. “Look, I don’t know. I don’t think Brian is like that, but maybe he’s changed since I knew him. But even if that’s not his deal, you still need to learn the lesson. Rule number one, kemosabe, people are going to take advantage of you if you let them.”

“OK, Taako,” Klarg said, then pulled him into a hug. “You’re a good friend.”

“Whoa, dog, I wouldn’t go that far,” Taako protested, struggling to break free. Before Klarg could say anything else, or embrace him again, Taako pounded on the bar. “Hey, who do I have to blow to get some service around here?” he yelled, resolutely ignoring the angry looks from the people that were there before him.

They got drinks; Klarg chugging his watered-down beer nervously while Taako licked the whipped cream off his shot. He’d specifically ordered a “blow job” when the bartender had given him attitude in regards to his summons, and didn’t even try to keep from laughing when Klarg had blushed.

They were scanning the room, but so far, Brian wasn’t popping up and saying “hi”.

“You sure that he’s going to be here tonight?”

“Marvi said he’d be here.”

Oh. Marvi. Taako was not Marvi’s biggest fan. But he couldn’t think of a reason that the guy would lie about this, so for the moment he’d assume that Brian was indeed going to make an appearance.

And it wasn’t like Brian should have been hard to spot; he was super tall and had long white hair (which he claimed was natural, but Taako knew a bleach job when he saw it.)

“Oh!”

Taako looked at Klarg, who had a hand over his mouth. He followed his glance, and sure enough, there was Bri-Bri…

… who was dancing very closely with a gorgeous man whom Taako couldn’t remember seeing before, which was pretty ridiculous — He knew the scene. He would have remembered.

The man was… breathtaking. He’d been critical of Klarg for dressing in black in this rainbow-sherbet club, but the dark radiance of Brian’s companion was something else entirely. Pristine dreads pulled back to the nape of his neck. Defined cheekbones that could practically cut glass. The kind of physique that could leave a man panting, wrapped in some very classy threads including a waist-synching vest that highlighted _all_ the right features…

“Hatchi Matchi,” he muttered under his breath, resisting the urge to fan himself.

Klarg shot him a glance. “What?”

Taako cleared his throat. “Oh, nothing.” He took his shot. “Um, so, I have an idea, why don’t we go over and say hello?”

“But, I thought…”

“Change in plans, buckaroo.” He grabbed Klarg’s wrist and pulled him across the dancefloor. He could see Brian’s eyes go wide as Taako barreled through the crowd, and he quickly whispered something into his “date’s” ear, prompting the man to start dancing way more closely than they had been. Yeah. If Taako had had any doubt before that their whole deal was a sham, it was comfortably put to rest.

“Oh, wow, Brian. Fancy seeing you here,” he practically yelled at the two men once he was close enough to be heard over the music.

“Uh, Taako? Is zat you?”

“In the flesh, my dude. Do you know Klarg?” he said, raising an eyebrow at Brian.

“Um,” Brian bit his lip. “Ja.” He looked totally sheepish. “Hallo, Klarg.”

“Hi Brian… it’s, uh, it’s nice to see you,” Klarg managed, eyes cast down and cheeks bright red. Geez. The guy really wore his heart on his sleeve. Taako rolled his eyes, but then turned to the stranger.

“So, that just leaves you, handsome,” Taako said, holding his hand out. Brian’s companion hesitated a moment before taking his hand off Brian’s hip and giving a firm shake.

“Kravitz.”

God, and his voice was hot as fuck, too.

“Kravitz,” Taako said, allowing his smile to turn just a bit hungry. “Well, now that we all know each other, we should get a drink together, don’t you think, Bri?”

“Um, ja?”

“Peachy.”

After they’d ordered a round of drinks, he turned an assessing eye to Brian and his “date”. “So, Bri-Bri. You and Kravitz…?”

Brian’s pale skin flushed and he grabbed the other man’s hand. “Oh, ja, vell…”

“We’ve known each other a while,” Kravitz inserted when Brian didn’t seem to be able to finish his sentence.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Taako said. “Yeah, Klarg and I’ve known each other for a while, too. Dated a few years ago and, well, you know...” He gave a lascivious wink.

Brian gave a little choking noise.  “So, you two are back togezer?”

“Well, he gave me a call, and I thought about ghosting him, but that’s just such a dick move, you know?”

He heard Kravitz clear his throat a little and he could see the beginnings of a smile on the man’s full lips before he took a sip of his drink. Taako powered on.

“See, Klarg told me he’d met a guy that he really liked, but then the guy wouldn’t return his texts, so I didn’t feel I could turn him down, you know?”

“Taako!” Klarg hissed at his side, but he resolutely ignored him.

“And the more he told me about this guy, and the way the dude just disappeared, well, you wanna know what, Bri? It sounded just a _little_ familiar, huh?”

“Taako, I…” Brian looked at him beseechingly, but then turned to Klarg. “Klarg. I… see, ze zing is…”

“He feels bad he didn’t text you back,” Kravitz addressed Klarg, interrupting Brian’s halted words. “He wanted to, but he doesn’t always think things through. Then, when he heard you’d met someone else, he concocted a scheme to make you jealous. He can be a real dumbass sometimes.”

Kravits shot Taako a bemused look, and, wow. Yeah. It had been a while since Taako had felt like someone was in his corner like that.

“Is that true, Brian?” Klarg asked, his eyes so hopeful that Taako had to look away.

“That he’s a dumbass?” Taako said. “Definitely.” Brian shot him a look, but then turned to Klarg.

“I didn’t vant to seem…” He let out a frustrated sigh. “Zings just felt, you know, _gut_ betveen us. Unt sometimes I can’t believe zat gut zings can happen for me.”

“Oh, Brian,” Klarg pulled the man into his arms.

Taako took a step back and caught Kravitz’s eye, jerking his head away. Kravitz nodded and followed him.

“That was nice what you did back there,” Kravitz whispered to him.

“Pfft. That was just so I don’t have to mop up Klarg’s tears anymore.” He hooked his arm through Kravitz’s. “And this way it gives me an opportunity to get to know _you_ a bit better.” Kravitz cleared his throat, and Taako very much liked his flustered expression. “Now, how about we make use of that VIP stamp you got there?”

“Um…”

Taako didn’t wait to listen and simply pulled Kravitz towards the cordoned-off VIP area.

“I’ll admit,” he said as they walked through the crowd. “You got me curious about what horrible thing you did.”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you must have done something illegal or _super_ embarrassing. There is no other explanation for why you allowed Brian to use you to make Klarg jealous. He’s obvs blackmailing you over something.”

The undignified snort Kravitz gave was _definitely_ not the most endearing thing Taako had heard in a while. “Oh, no, it’s nothing like that…” he paused and seemed to reconsider. “Although, he does know what I looked like during puberty, so I guess there’s that.” Taako quirked an eyebrow and Kravitz continued. “We’ve known each other since middle school.”

“Oh, God! What could that have possibly been like?! The dude’s a mess now; middle school Brian must have been awful!” Taako pulled him over to the VIP bar, and when he saw who was there, he was delighted. “Ren! I didn’t know you were working here!”

“TKO! Good to see you!” The bartender smiled brightly and they fist-bumped. “Yeah, the Davy Lamp hasn’t been giving me enough hours, so I’ve had to diversify.” 

“All the more reason to open our restaurant, you know. Or like, a cooking-slash-bartending school.”

“I’m there as soon as you get the capital.”

Taako snorted. “Oh, yeah. Money. Forgot that part. Well, it was a nice idea anyway.” He tapped his chin looking at the brightly colored bottles. “So, what do you have that will make me even more irresistible to the same sex? Not like I need any help buuut…”

Ren snickered, then looked Kravitz up and down. “I’d say _neither_ of you need it, but I still have just the thing.” She turned and started to mix their drinks.

Taako heard Kravitz choke a little behind him. “I’m not sure I should have any more alcohol right now.”

“Oh, homie, the night is so young it’s not even legal. Surely you aren’t going to bail on me just because your D&D buddy is otherwise engaged.” Taako cast his glance to where Klarg and Brian were already getting handsy on the dancefloor.

“Here you guys go. I’ll put ‘em both on the VIP ticket.”

“Thanks babe.” Taako gave her a wink and took a drink. “ _Damn_ , Ren!”

Kravitz took his drink too. “Thank you,” he said and put several bills on the bar. Ren took it with an approving look, and then made her way to serve some other customers. Taako didn’t see how much the tip was, but seeing Ren’s expression, he figured it was a decent amount.

Good. He liked a guy who tipped well.

Kravitz leaned his back against the bar and gave a sigh, looking at Klarg and Brian. “Well, this worked out better than the guy that wanted to kick my ass.”

Taako ran his eyes down the dude’s body. “Let me get this right: Some guy looked at what, all six-foot-three? four? of muscle-bound you and wanted to kick your ass?”

Another sigh. “Yeah. The _last_ time I played “the other guy” for Brian.”

Taako blew a dismissive raspberry. “Why do you put up with that horseshit?”

The look that Kravitz gave him was so sincere it nearly took Taako's breath away. “He's my best friend,” he said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. Then he gave a laugh. “Thankfully, the guy that wanted to beat me up wasn't as big as your friend Klarg.”

“We're hardly friends,” Taako quickly explained.

“No?” Kravitz took a drink, spluttered a little at how strong it was, but then took another.

“I mean he's an ok dude I guess,” Taako said, not entirely sure why he felt the need to give any more detail. “He, uh, he does make a mean cup of oolong.”

“Huh?”

Taako laughed at Kravitz’s incredulity. “Oolong. He’s huge into tea. Its… well, it’s kinda funny.”

Kravitz’s smile was warm, and Taako wasn't sure what it was about Kravitz's eyes, something soft and homey, and it made Taako feel…

He finished off his drink. “All right, handsome, drink up. We got some dancing to do.”

“But…”

“No buts, babe. Unless it's ours and they’re on that dance floor.” He made an impatient gesture. “Come on.”

It was pretty humorous watching the man chug the fizzy, punch-you-in-the-gut-strong drink in such a rush, and there was definitely a slightly uneven sway to his step as Taako grabbed his wrist and started pulling towards the stage.

“Hey, Taako, wait.”

Taako turned in a huff. “What?”

“Please don't make me go back out there.” Kravitz looked distinctly uncomfortable. “I mean. Do we have to go out there?”

“I want to dance.”

“We could dance... just maybe somewhere that isn’t so crowded?”

“Don't like crowds, huh?”

“Not really.”

Taako shook his head. “God, you musta been a wreck in middle school to let Brian drag you to a bunch of clubs, then.”

Kravitz chuckle-groaned. “You have no idea.”

They managed to find an out-of-the-way corner that wasn’t quiet as populated as the main dancefloor, but before they could really start to dance, they were interrupted by an obtrusive throat-clearing.

“Um, hey, guys?”

Taako rolled his eyes. He knew that voice. He didn’t even bother to turn around. “Yes, Klarg?”

“Uh, vell, ve’re going to take off, ja?”

Kravitz raised his eyebrow, then fixed Brian with a sharp glance. “You’re going to be safe, right?”

Brian snorted. “Yes, _mutter_. I shall vear unt coat unt everyzing.”

“I don’t care about a coat as long as you _do_ wear a hat,” Kravitz replied.

“Ack! You are ze vorst! Come on Klarg before he checks to zee if I haf ze clean undervears.” Brian grabbed Klarg’s hand and stormed off.

“God. He is just so fuckin’ extra!” Taako said with an eyeroll.

Kravitz laughed. “You should have seen him in high school.”

As they started to dance again, Taako decided that Kravitz was the perfect amount taller-than-him as he glanced up through his eyelashes. He maintained eye contact, biting his lip for effect, and watched Kravitz swallow dryly. The man was pretty obviously nervous, but the alcohol was just as obviously starting to set in, so there wasn’t much resistance when Taako moved right up into his space.

Kravitz’s eyes widened, as did Taako’s smile.

And even though he was a bit standoffish, the man knew how to move to music. They fell pretty quickly into sync, moving together seamlessly — a fact which Taako tucked into the back of his mind with giddy anticipation.

It took a little while, but Kravitz eventually started to relax, and Taako moved closer, running his hands between vest and well-defined silk-covered pecs. Yum. He leaned in just enough to ghost his breath against Kravitz’s neck. Oh. The man even smelled amazing; not swimming in cologne like so many club-clowns — just a bit smoky, a bit spicy. The kind of scent that would linger perfectly on bedsheets.

The whole scene was awesome. The DJ was good, the alcohol was hitting him just right, and the guy he was dancing with was hot as hell. And pretty soon, Kravitz’s hands moved to circle his waist, thumbs running along the edge of his waistband.

He jumped at the contact. How dude’s hands could be cold in this boiling hot club, Taako wasn’t sure. Of course, the shiver that ran down his spine wasn’t entirely from the coolness of Kravtiz’s skin, but still.

“Boy howdy, those sure are clammy.”

Kravitz immediately withdrew. “Oh. I’m so sorry. It’s a circulation thing, I…”

Taako pulled his hands back, squeezing them around his waist and shimmying even closer. “Just surprised me. But it actually feels nice. It’s a bit warm in here.” Time to up the ante. “Don’t you think?”

He slipped a knee between Kravitz’s legs and tilted his hip, nudging what he was pleased to discover was definitely a half-chub. Kravitz closed his eyes and gave a moan that was just audible over the thump of the bass.

“Taako,” Kravitz groaned, and he thought he could definitely get used to hearing that heated, gravelly tone in the man’s voice, especially while saying his name. To his disappointment, though, Kravitz pulled back.

Taako hooked a finger in his belt loop and yanked them back together. “Hey, my dude, just seein’ if we’re on the same page.” He allowed his own semi to press into Kravitz’s thigh. “Take it easy. It’s not like I offered to blow you in the men’s room. Geez.” He licked his lips. “Though that does have a certain amount of appeal now that I mention it.”

The hardness pressing into his hip twitched. Perfect. Before Kravitz could put more distance between them, Taako closed it completely, kissing the man for all he was worth.

To his delight, Kravitz’s arms wrapped around him and crushed him against his body. If the groan Kravitz gave before had made him melt, the way it deepened and reverberated through his whole body as they kissed was enough to make him weak in the knees.

Their kiss was alcohol-infused and _maybe_ a touch sloppy, but Taako had enough awareness to register it as a Good Kiss; to note the confident press of lips, the graceful slide of tongue, the soft skin under his hands as he pulled the taller man down by his neck.

The way the dude’s hips pushed against his leg.

He trailed one hand down the center of his button-down, flicking the vest buttons as he went, then palming Kravitz through his slacks.

“Oh, my, you’re kinda a big boy, huh?” he said and Kravitz gave a strangled moan. “So, my dude, how many more drinks do you need in you before I _can_ drag you to the men’s room?”

Kravitz forehead connected rather abruptly with the brim of Taako’s hat and his eyes were pressed tightly shut. “Taako, we should stop.”

Taako slowly removed his hand. “You sure, homie? ‘Cause it sure doesn’t feel like you want me to stop.”

Kravitz gave a strangled laugh. “No, of course I'm not fucking sure. It’s just.” he rubbed a hand over his forehead. “Look, I get it if you're just looking for a hookup tonight. I mean, I’m sure that's what just about everyone else is here for. But while drunk-me really, really wants to take you up on your offer, I’m just sober enough to know that I’ll regret it if I do.”

Taako felt his lips turn down. “If you’re not interested in ol’ Taako, just say so, my man.”

Kravitz’s eyes widened with sincerity. “No, that’s just it. I am _so_ interested. And yes, that very much includes sexually, but I'm interested in more than that. You know?” He gave a frustrated sigh. “You're not only gorgeous, but you're also intriguing.” He flicked one of the furry puff-balls dangling off of Taako’s hat. Kravitz’s expression turned embarrassed. “Problem is, I can't do casual. I'm just not built that way.” He gave a lopsided smile that bordered on desperate and it did something funny to Taako’s insides. “If a one-night thing is all you want, I totally get it. It’s still early enough that you could find someone else. I could get out of your hair. But…”

“But?”

“But, I’d prefer to have the opportunity to get to know you. Move more slowly. Take you to coffee, or out for a nice dinner. Enjoy the anticipation instead of rushing in.”

Oh god, Taako had to interrupt this before it went any further. “Yeah, yeah, all right, geez makin’ a big deal about all this, don't you think?” he said, trying to demonstrate not-flustered-at-all-thank-you-very-much. “So you’re saying you want my digits?”

The smile that lit up Kravitz's face was radiant. “That would be great.”

Taako held out his hand, and it took a while before Kravitz got the hint, but eventually he said “Oh!” and pulled out his phone. Just after he unlocked it, Taako snatched it way.

“Um…?”

“Just a minute, Krav,” he said, quickly typing in his number and then proceeding to take a bunch of selfies. “Ok. There. That should be good.” He hit the green call button and handed the phone back. “Now your turn,” he said, hanging up his own phone before angling it into Kravitz’s face. “Smile.”

“I don't usually smile for pictures.”

“Shame. You’re sexy when you smile.”

Kravitz rolled his eyes. “Fine.” The corner of his mouth tweaked up.

“That's it?”

“Take it or leave it,”

“I'll take anything you're offering, stud,” he said, tilting his hip back between the other man’s legs.

Kravitz choked a little and Taako snapped the pic at that moment.

Oh, it was too much! The image was totally flustered and dorky and... “Perfect!”

“No, Taako, you can't…” he made a grab for the phone, but Taako put it back in his pocket.

“ _Au contraire_ , my dude. Can and did.” He gave a trademarked Taako grin. “Next time I ask for a smile, maybe you'll be a little more obliging, huh?” He tapped a manicured finger against Kravitz’s vest. “So, now that we’ve exchanged numbers, does that mean you’re gonna turn into a pumpkin? Or can I convince you to dance just a little more?”

Kravitz wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in close. “Not feeling too “pumpkinny” yet, so yeah. I think a little more dancing could be arranged.”

Taako tried to keep it more or less PG13 after that; and maybe some grinding sneaked in, and there might have been one or two “accidental” hand-placements that were anything but accidental, but he did make _some_ effort to respect the guy’s boundaries.

And, it seemed that now that expectations were set, Kravitz himself had loosened up a bit more, too. He no longer froze or stepped back every time Taako touched him, and he turned out to be the one who started the kiss that turned into a mini-makeout sesh.

It made Taako so thirsty that he could barely stand it, but he _guessed_ he could deal with some delayed gratification.

So yeah, it was nice. Definitely nice. And before he knew it, the place was starting to thin out.

“What time is it?” he asked, not bothering to move his head from where it had settled on Kravitz’s shoulder.

Kravitz pulled one hand free to take his phone out and look at the time without disturbing Taako’s perch. He gave a sharp intake of breath. “Oh, shit, it’s already two. I have work tomorrow.”

“On a Sunday? Bummer, dude.”

Kravitz snorted in his ear.  “Yeah, bummer.”

After he’d collected his umbrella from the coat check, Kravitz had offered to take him home, but that sure as shit wasn’t going to happen, even if the guy seemed mostly all right. Taako didn’t let guys he met in clubs know where he lived.

“Nah, homie, Taako got this shit down tight,” he said, giving a dismissive wave of the hand.

Before he could turn to go, though, Kravitz took his hand and, to Taako’s surprise, kissed the inside of his wrist. “All right. But will you text me when you get home so I know you made it OK?”

That brought Taako up short. After a moment, he managed an: “Um, yeah, sure. Whatevs. See ya,” he said while he made a hasty retreat.

Thankfully the Dipshit-Duo weren’t still awake when he got home, so he was spared an inquisition. Making his way through the dark house, he stripped out of his club-wear and started getting ready for bed. Taako’s beauty routine took some time, though, so it wasn’t until he was pulling the alarm up on his phone that he remembered Mr. “Take-it-slowly”’s request.

It had been a while since a guy had turned down his offer for a no-strings-attached BJ. Or asked for his number for more than a future booty call. He didn’t want to come off as desperado… but sure, whatever, he’d let the guy know everything was cool. He didn’t want to be like fucking _Brian_ , after all. He scrolled through his open screens to his contacts, then smiled down at the truly flustered pic of Kravitz he’d taken.

 _Dork_ , he thought, but he found himself smiling. He texted **“home”** then a peach and a bed emoji.

The alert of an incoming message was sounding before he could even put the phone on the bedside table.

“ _Thanks for letting me know. I’m glad I met you tonight, Taako. Sleep well._ ” Kravitz texted back, complete with punctuation and a flower emoji at the end.

He rolled his eyes. _Total_ dork. But he was still a little drunk so yeah, whatever, he _might_ have placed a kiss on his finger and pressed it against the dude’s hilarious picture.

As he settled down into his nest of blankets, he felt warm, and while it was an uncomfortable sensation for him, he allowed a moment to enjoy that rarest of feelings: hope.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter and made a comment! Each one was very appreciated <3  
> Again, un-beta'd so apologies for typos!

Kravitz finished off his third, no, fourth cup of coffee, trying to focus on paperwork. Thankfully it was Raven’s designated day to deal with clients while he stayed in the office to deal with paperwork. Even then, though, it was cold comfort when he was this hung over.

“Child, what on Earth’d’you get up to last night? You look like hell frozen over.”

He turned bloodshot eyes up to her. “Don’t suppose you’d believe me if I said I just couldn’t sleep?”

“Not with that stamp on the back of your hand.”

He winced. Yeah, he’d not been able to get all the ink off. Raven chuckled. “No worries. You saw me that one morning last month.”

Kravitz couldn’t help but smile. He knew the day she was talking about; she really had been a mess. “It’s not often you and Izzy tie one on like that.”

“Well, we’re too old for that shit anymore. Or, at least, too old to be doing it more’n once every few months. You on the other hand…”

Yep, there it was. Brian wasn’t the only person in his life that despaired about him not getting out. He groaned. “No. No way. I am too hung over for you to be on me about this.”

“If you went out more often as was fitting a handsome young man your age, I wouldn’t have to get on you.”

“Well, I got out last night, right?”

“Probably ‘cause Brian dragged your ass out.”

Kravitz didn’t say anything.

Raven nodded her head. “Thought so. If it wasn’t for that skinny white boy making you go out and have fun every once in a while, you’d get out less than _I_ do.”

“Well, since the result is feeling like this, maybe I wish it happened even _less_ often.”

She flicked his shoulder. “He’s just tryna take care of you.”

“Hey, wait a second.” Kravitz held up a hand, squinting his eyes at her. “Didn’t you just come in here and tell me I looked like hell? How is that taking care of me?” He knew he was pouting, and, frankly, he didn’t care. “Oh, and the only reason Brian invited me out in the first place was because he was trying to make some guy jealous.”

Raven waved a dismissive hand. “You know better than that.”

And he supposed he did. In his own way, Brian was always just trying to do his best by Kravitz, but alcohol was still beating the inside of his skull like a drum, so he wasn’t in any hurry to heap praises on the idiot.

“So, did you have a good time at least?”

The corner of Kravitz’s lip crept up and he bit his lip before he could stop himself.

“Oho. So what’s his name?”

He was not particularly eager to go down this road. “I don’t remember saying I met anyone.” But just then, the beep of an incoming call sounded from his pocket. Frantically he pulled his phone out, but it was an unknown number, so he muted it and stowed it again, trying and failing not to feel disappointed.

The smug look on Raven’s face was a force unto itself.

He finally capitulated. “Taako.”

“Taco? T-a-c-o, Taco?”

“T-a-a-k-o,” he spelled.

“Huh. Not sure what to make of that. You got a picture?” Sheepishly, he took his phone back out and pulled up the selfies Taako had taken, handing it over to her. When she looked at the pictures, she started to laugh. “Oh, he’s adorable, but what is that on his head?”

“Like, some kind of wizard’s hat? The pictures don’t really do it justice. It was actually pretty impressive.”

She smiled in that way that reminded him so much of his mom. “Well, it shows he’s comfortable with himself, and that’s good. When you gonna see him again?”

“We haven’t made plans yet.”

“Well, call him! Or text him! Or whatever the kids do these days!”

“Ray, it’s not even nine on a Sunday morning.”

She looked at the clock and gave a chuckle. “Fair point.” She fixed him with a stern eye. “Now, you _better_ not have finished off all the coffee.”

To her credit, she didn’t press him too hard for details, for which he was infinitely glad. Of course, it also gave him more time to worry and second-guess himself.

God, it had been so long since he’d even thought about trying to date anyone, and it was nothing like riding a bike. He couldn’t remember what the protocols were. Would he scare Taako off if he texted him today? Did he wait a day or two? What were the rules?!

He pulled out his phone, debating what to do, but then he saw he had five voicemails.

To his dismay, they were from Brian.

If experience had taught him anything, he knew that any morning communication from his friend was not a good sign; Brian’s idea of getting an early start usually meant him stumbling out of bed around noon.

He listened to the voicemails.

Oh. Shit.

“Hey, Raven? I need to leave for a little while. Is that OK? It’s Brian.”

“He all right?”

“I think so, but he somehow managed to land his dumb ass in jail again.”

She gave an elaborate eyeroll. “Go ahead.”

The drive to the police station gave Kravitz plenty of time to hypothesize what might have occurred to admit his friend into county. It couldn’t be anything too bad, he imagined, since he wasn’t being limited to one phone call. Still, though, that just raised more questions than it answered.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the first time Brian’s antics had landed him in hot water with the law. Smart money was on public lewdness, but after enough alcohol, it was really dealer’s choice.

There wasn’t a ton going on this early on a Sunday at the police station, and the woman at the desk looked thoroughly unenthusiastic to be there. When Kravitz approached, the officer looked up from her ledger, the expression on her face a mixture of irritation and humor. “Let me guess: you’re Kravitz.”

That did not bode well. “Yes.”

The officer gave a snort. “Took you long enough.” She stood and pressed a buzzer under the desk, then tilted her head toward the door. “Come on back.”

So far, it seemed like it probably wasn’t too serious an offense. “What did he do?”

“Oh, I think I’ll let him tell the story.”

“Well, are there charges? Do I need to post bail?”

“For as big a pain in the ass as he’s been, there sure as hell should be. But at this point, I think everyone would rather he just left quietly.” She looked at him intently. “Emphasis on _quiet_.”

That sounded like Brian all over.

It was a big enough city that there were a good number of cells, many with folks sobering up or in for other offenses, but several were still empty. It was therefore interesting that she escorted him all the way to the end of the corridor.

He heard Brian’s moans before he saw him. Looking in, he couldn’t help but shake his head. “What the fuck, Brian?”

His friend was lying on the dinky cot, still wearing the clothes he’d worn last night, though they were much the worse for wear; his spider web fishnets had several large holes, and his tiny shorts and spider-decaled top were stained with what looked like grass and dirt. “Oh, Kravitz, mein Engel.”

The officer opened the cell door. “You’re free to go, Brian.”

“Ohhh,” his friend moaned when he tried to stand up, obviously having forgotten the broken heel of his platform shoe. Before he could stop himself, Kravitz was at his side and keeping him from falling on his face. Brian looked up with bloodshot eyes. “Kravitz, mein best friend, mein savior… carry me?”

It took every ounce of willpower not to let his best friend fall to the floor at the audacity. “Absolutely not.”

The police officer snorted behind them.

“You are heartless unt mean.”

“Yeah, I’m a real asshole: leaving work so I can pick you up from jail and drive you forty-five minutes to your house. I’m a total dick.”

“Kraaavitz,” Brian whined.

“I _will_ leave you here.”

“No. You absolutely will not,” the police officer said. “Get him the hell out before I charge you both with something trumped up and expensive.”

With Brian’s arm slung over his shoulders, they made their slow way down the corridor. When they got to the more populated area, the occupants of the other cells started hollering laughter and… singing.

“Zis is so humiliating,” Brian said as he walked, the other inmates serenading them with badly accented strains of Peter Gabriel.

“Is there a reason they’re singing to us?” Kravitz asked.

“Oh, there’s a reason all right,” the policewoman said, buzzing the lock open. She handed Brian a bag of his possessions. “I hope I never see you again, Brian,” she yelled after them as they headed out the door.

If the walk down the cellblock had been slow, the hobbling steps down the stairs to Kravitz’s car were glacial. A few times Brian had to stop looking distinctly green around the gills.

“If you’re going to throw up, I’m making you walk home.”

“No. No, I’m fine. I promise.”

Kravitz had heard similar lying assertions before, but he was bluffing about making Brian walk and they both knew it. He managed to pile Brian into the passenger seat of his car.

“So, what happened?” He asked as he started to drive.

Brian sagged into the upholstery. “Do you vant ze long version or ze longer version?”

“Well, since I have to drive you all the way out to the suburbs, I’d say we have plenty of time.”

“Living out zere iz unt sound financial strategy!” he said, but he leaned back. He sighed. “Vell, I vent home with Klarg.”

“You actually made it to his place? You didn’t just fuck in his car?”

“Pbt.” Brian blew a raspberry. “No. Ve didn’t fuck in his car. I mean, zere may have been some touching, but…” Kravitz could see his friend smirk from the corner of his eye. “…but everyzing vas very proper. He even offered to serve me tea vonce ve got to his place.”

Kravitz had to bite back a grin as he remembered Taako’s references to oolong and other teas from around the world.

“But I vasn’t _qvuite_ in ze mood for tea, so we may have cleaned out some of his liquor cabinet, unt zen ve _meant_ to go back to his bedroom, but, vell, he has a very sturdy kitchen table unt he’s so very strong…”

Kravitz rubbed his forehead to ease the headache he felt coming on. “I’m pretty sure I don’t need the play-by-play, Bri.” He exited onto the highway. “So, I’m not seeing how this landed you in jail.”

“Vell… after, _you know_ … unt zen after ze next round of _you know_ ,” Kravitz rolled his eyes and Brian snickered. “Fine. So, I vas going to leave, but he invited me to stay, unt, vell, I vas pretty trashed, ja? But before I could fall asleep, he started talking about how if I vas just using him to get into clubs, I should tell him. Zat I shouldn’t string him along. Vich, for ze record, I vas _not_ doing.”

“I know better, man. You wouldn’t do that.”

“Right, but Klarg vouldn’t believe me, unt I was drunk and it vas suddenly very important zat I prove it to him.”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

“Vell, you know zat vone movie vit John Cusack unt ze boom box?”

“Oh god.”

“Ja, so, at ze time it seemed like a gut idea, but apparently his neighbors didn’t agree.”

“I would have been right there with them.” Kravitz paused as he thought about it. “Even if they called in a noise complaint, you yelling in front of his place doesn’t seem like enough to put you in a cell.”

Brian looked out the window, distinctly uncomfortable. _“I-may-have-tried-to-magic-avay-ze-cop’s-handcuffs_ ,” he said, trying to hide the words in a cough.

“You what?!”

“I might have, possibly, tried to use mein sleight-of-hand skills to take ze handcuffs from ze police officer’s belt.”

“Jesus, Brian. What the fuck were you thinking?”

“I vas zinking how sexy it vould be to handcuff Klarg vit eine real police officer’s cuffs.” He drummed his fingers again. “Unt, maybe you recall zat I said I vas really drunk? Ja? Vell, it turns out cops do not appreciate people trying to take zeir cuffs vile making naughty comments to zeir lover unt singing Peter Gabriel.”

“You’re lucky they didn’t shoot you, you know that? If they’d have thought you were going for his gun…” Kravitz didn’t finish the thought, but simply shook his head with a sigh. His headache was thrumming behind his eyes and he pressed fingertips to his temples. “You’re fucking lucky.”

“Ja. I know. Unt, I’m sorry I took you avay from vork.”

“Well, thankfully today wasn’t super busy; but that doesn’t mean you don’t owe me. And double for dragging me out last night in the first place.”

“Ja, ja.” Brian snorted, then looked at him sidelong. “You don’t have to tell Raven all zis, do you?”

“Oh, I am totally going to tell Raven. And her laughing at your expense whenever she sees you for the next five years will serve you right.”

“Ack!” Brian groaned and thumped his head against the back of the seat. “You are unt evil man. She vill never let me forget it!”

“Well, if it keeps you from doing something so stupid again, then I’d say it was worth it.”

They drove in silence for a while, but Brian finally turned back to look at him. “Unt vat about you?”

“What about me?”

“Vell, ven I left, you vere dancing vit Taako,” Brian led off with.

Kravitz was still pretty irate over Brian’s whole story, but he could feel a shift in their dynamic threatening. “Your point?”

Brian’s mouth turned up on one side. “Vell?”

“Well what?”

“You know vat.” Kravitz resolutely kept his attention on the road, but he could feel his cheeks flush. Brian thumped the dash triumphantly. “Oh, ja, you know _exactly_ vat! Come now. Spill.”

“Brian,” he said in warning, then a nagging thought settled in his mind. “Wait, was this whole thing a set up?”

“Vat? No! No. I had no idea Klarg vould be bringing Taako.”

“I swear to God, Brian.”

“I promise, I didn’t know. I vould never set you up vit Taako.”

Oh. That was unexpected. “You wouldn’t?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Vell, he has eine reputation, ja? He can be a bit of fun, but, vell, you alvays say you’re looking for more zan just fun.”

Kravitz didn’t say anything. Couldn’t, really. It’s not like he hadn’t made some assumptions about Taako; he’d been with both Klarg and Brian, and he had offered to blow him in the washroom. Still, though, he’d thought…

Brian was overenthusiastic as he interrupted his thoughts. “But, I’m glad! Ven I talked you into going out last night I did sort of imply I’d get you laid. Unt even if I didn’t really expect it to happen, zis vay I kept mein promise.”

“We didn’t have sex.”

From the corner of his eye he saw Brian’s shocked expression. “Nein?”

“No.”

The moments dragged out, but finally Brian said slowly: “Vell, zat is a shame.”

“Wait, didn’t you just tell me that you would never set me up with him?”

“I vouldn’t. Not for a _date_. But zere is a difference betveen a date and just hooking up.”

They drove in silence for a while. “I was going to see if he would go to dinner with me.” Kravitz muttered.

Brian’s shock seemed to compound. “He gave you his number?”

“Yeah?”

“Unt you _didn’t_ have sex? Like, you didn’t even let him suck you off?”

He could feel the flush settle in his cheeks.

“Ah,” Brian chuckled knowingly.

“I didn’t,” Kravitz was quick to explain. “He just _offered_.”

Brian tapped a finger to his chin. “It isn’t like Taako to give his phone number to anyvone unless he vants a repeat performance. Oh… I know. He touched you, ja?” Kravitz didn’t say anything, just felt himself flush more deeply. “Zat makes sense. He loves a large schwanz.”

If he thought his cheeks were warm before…

Brian continued. “Krav, I know you vant to meet someone, unt fall hopelessly in love, unt you will, I promise, but you can still have some fun in ze meantime.”

“You know I’m not good at that.”

“Ja, but, maybe try?” They finally pulled up to Brian’s place and his friend started to get out of the car, then leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Zank you for rescuing me.”

Kravitz sighed. “Yeah, yeah. But how about next time, instead of karaoke, you get flowers if you want to be romantic?”

“You are such a sap,” Brian scoffed, and closed the door.

The drive back to Raven’s Rest gave him ample time to turn over everything in his mind. He knew why Brian was leery of relationships — He got it. He’d seen first hand what Brian’s upbringing had been like — but dating casually just wasn’t how he, himself, was emotionally built.

But then, he’d never thought he’d be alone after…

He shook his head to keep his thoughts from spiraling down that path. No. He would process later; he had to be functional once he got back to work

OK, so what if Taako did have a reputation? It wasn’t like Brian didn’t have one of his own. And, well, maybe it would be good for him to just see someone not expecting it to last forever.

Forever…

He balled his fist. _No!_ He stopped that thought process again.

By the time he parked in the lot of Raven’s Rest, he’d made up his mind. He’d give it a shot. If it was too soon to text, then it wasn’t meant to be. He wasn’t a game-player like Brian, and he wasn’t going to pretend that he wasn’t interested in Taako.

And maybe Brian was wrong. Maybe Taako just tended to date guys who were only looking for hookups, and it had less to do with what _he_ wanted and more with what he thought was available?

He wouldn’t know unless he tried, so he took out his phone.

**Hi Taako. I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time. I wanted to see what your schedule was like this week to get together? (12:41 PM)**

He got out of the car, putting the phone back in his pocket. If Taako didn’t write back, it wasn’t meant to be.

But he couldn’t pretend he wasn’t scrambling for his mobile as soon as he heard the notification.

**Taako: working doubles most of the week so not gr8 (12:42 PM)**

Oh.

Kravitz didn’t know how to respond. Was it Taako’s indirect way of giving him the brush off? Should he press it? Before he could stress too long about it, though, another message came through.

**Taako: could do brunch next Saturday (12:42 PM)**

Oh! Maybe it wasn’t a brush off. But Saturday was a no-go. **I have work Saturday. I have Friday off. (12:43 PM)**

**Taako: friday is no good. What time does ur shift end Saturday? (12:43 PM)**

**I usually work until 6. (12:44 PM)**

The dots were cycling through for what felt like an eternity. **Taako:** **damn my shift starts at 530 (12:46 PM)**

Kravitz bit his lip. **Let me check on something. I’ll get back to you in a moment. (12:46 PM)**

Going back to the office, he checked the schedule. There weren’t any services that day. He found Raven in the supply room. “Ray?”

“Hey, you’re back.”

“Yeah, sorry again.”

She rolled her eyes. “That boy is lucky to have you.”

He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “Yeah, well, he’s a mess,” he said and she nodded her agreement.

The timing was terrible since he’d just ducked out of work, but… “Uh, I hate to ask, but do you think it would be OK if I took off early next Saturday?”

“Is everything all right?”

He felt his cheeks flush. “Yes, everything is fine.”

“Ohhh. Is this about your new boy?”

Kravitz cleared his throat. “I probably wouldn’t say “my boy” but yes, Taako and I are trying to figure out a time to get together.”

“Well, all we have is that delivery from Leon scheduled between noon and two and I can take care of that.”

He sighed. “You are not lifting those boxes with your back.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“No, you won’t. And Izzy would kick my ass if you hurt it again when I could have helped.” But Leon was usually pretty on-time, so… “I’ll just let Taako know I probably won’t be able to get together until around 3:00.”

He pulled out his phone again. **Hey, I think I can get out early Saturday. I could take you out for coffee? 3:00-ish? We could go somewhere close to where you work so you won’t be late. Would that be all right? (1:50 PM)**

**Taako: [Thumbs up emoji] U know Kathryn’s Coffee? (2:00 PM)**

Kravitz’s heart was pounding. **Yes, I go there all the time. (2:00 PM)**

**Taako: Cool. C U there Sat @ 3 (2:15 PM)**

“Oh honey,” Raven said when she looked at his face. “You got it bad, don’t you?”

* * * * * * * * * *

“I can’t believe how big they were!”

“Yeah, little dude. They coulda eaten you right up. Wouldn’ta even needed to chew.”

The look on Angus’ face fell a little. “Uh…”

Taako rolled his eyes. “Just pulling your leg, Ango. They wouldn’t eat you; everyone knows wild animals hate the taste of nerds.”

His ~~adorable little button~~ nose scrunched up. “Ha ha, Mr. Taako.”

He ruffled Angus’ already unruly hair. They were nearing the boy’s stop. It was the time of their afternoons together that Taako always said were his favorite part of their outings, but actually made him kinda sad… when he allowed himself to feel it, that is. “So, we good for tomorrow?”

The little boy’s features lit up. “Yes, sir! I asked my grandfather and he said there wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Great. I’ll come by around 11 with Magnus and then we’ll have the rest of the day.”

The little shit’s smile was like sunshine breaking through the clouds. Would his stop _ever_ come? “Well, I hope you have fun on your date, Mr. Taako.”

Taako jerked his head, the warm feeling draining out of his chest. “What did you say?”

“Um, your date? The date you’re going to now?” Angus said, his forehead furrowing.

“What do you know about it?”

Angus’ eyes went wide. “Uh, n-nothing, sir. It’s just, you’re dressed really fancy, too fancy for just a trip to the animal sanctuary. And you’ve been checking your phone even more than usual. And you were insistent that we be back by 2:45, even though your shift doesn’t start until 5:30 and…”

Taako groaned. “Yeah, yeah, you’re the greatest boy detective. I forgot,” he said, rolling his eyes. “But like, no need to be spreading it around that ol’ Taako is meeting someone, OK?”

“I’m not sure who I would tell.”

“Well, like don’t let it slip to Magnus and Merle, huh?”

“Do they not like this guy?”

“They don’t _know_ him, and I plan to keep it that way.”

“Why?”

“’Cause it’s nobody’s business. Got it?”

Angus scowled. “But if you like him, why not tell…”

Taako cut him off. “A) It hasn’t been established I like this guy yet. And B) Even if I did, it is _still_ nobody’s business. _Capiche_?”

Angus nodded, looking down at his shoes. “All right.” The bus driver announced his upcoming stop.

Taako appraised him. “OK. We’re cool, then.” He allowed the corner of his lips to tilt up and he reached into his bag. “Oh, before you go: here.”

He’d never admit it, but the look on Angus’ face when he took the stuffed mountain lion Taako held out hit him right in the feels. “Sir! You got this for me?”

“Yeah, yeah. No big deal. I probably stole it.”

“Sir!” Angus’ eyes went wide in horror.

“Just kidding, McDango. Geez, take it easy.”

Angus looked incredibly relieved. Sucker. “Oh, all right. I guess that’s OK, then. Thank you!”

“No bigs. See you tomorrow, kiddo.”

He’d never admit it, to anyone, but his days with Angus were the bright spots of his week. The little jerk was pretty smart ~~and adorable and sweet~~ , not to mention they got to do some pretty baller things that a dude like Taako wouldn’t normally be caught dead doing, but which usually turned out to be pretty all right.

But now. Shit. Now he was pretty sure he was going to have a heart attack because he was about to get coffee. With a guy. A guy he might really be beginning to like.

Even though their schedules hadn’t aligned at all, they’d communicated pretty steadily through the week. He normally wouldn’t have been so free with his time, but after the initial text convo to set up their coffee date, Kravitz had started sending pictures and talking about stuff from his daily life: a pic of his cat with “in case you were wondering, this is what a good girl looks like”, a humorously vandalized traffic sign, a shot of his own hand flipping off the gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe — each message adorned with flower emojis and stupid smiley faces… and kinda a weird amount of bird icons and references? But yeah, whatever.

Sure, dude was a total dork. Like, the BIGGEST. But a lot of the messages had been pretty funny, and before he knew it, Taako's heart was tripping over itself each time he heard his text notification alert.

And, well, call him a dope, but he'd been having fun finding things to send back. Yeah, there were a few selfies (no dick-pics… though a couple of times he’d been tempted), but he tried to keep it in line with Kravitz’s themes: Magnus’ tragic attempt at making dinner, an erotically shaped squash at the farmer’s market, a stock-photo of an old man whose eyes were filled with desperation and sadness as he filled a bowl full of pasta at an Olive Garden.

He’d known he was in trouble, though, when he’d sent a picture of Lup with her tongue sticking out, brandishing the double birds.

It happened before he’d even thought about it. It was just a funny shot of her, and he hadn’t even really realized its importance until Kravitz had written back: “ _Do you have a twin?”_

There were plenty of things that Taako Absolutely Did Not Do, but one of his most stringent rules was that he did _not_ talk about his family with his flings. Once he’d realized what he’d done, he might have had a mini-freak-out, but he managed to convince himself it was just a one-off accident and there was no reason to believe it would happen again.

His stop arrived and he thought briefly of just going home. It would probably be better to just end the whole mess here.

But before he knew it, he’d gotten off the bus and was headed towards Kathryn’s Coffee.

 _Don’t think about it_! he told himself. None of it meant anything. He’d have some coffee, maybe dinner, hopefully get in the guy’s pants, then he’d unleash his particular brand of scathing sarcasm and that would be that. End of story. He just needed to let Taako be Taako and everything would dissolve according to schedule.

Except that when he saw Kravitz in the distance, dressed to the nines and leaning up against the front of the coffee shop, his heart almost stopped. It was Not Fine. He started to turn away.

“Taako!”

Too late.

He stretched a smile across his face. “Oh, hey my dude. Uh, you been waiting long?”

“No. Just got here,” Kravitz said, with this relieved look on his face that made Taako distinctly uncomfortable. There was a brief moment where he thought Kravitz was going to, ug! he didn’t even know — hug him or kiss him, he wasn’t sure — but Taako must have looked super-not-into-it because eventually he just opened the door. “Shall we?” he asked, and Taako nodded.

Kathryn’s, as far as Taako was concerned, was the only place to get coffee. As soon as the warmth and the smell of perfectly brewed bean-juice hit him, he felt more at ease. They got in line.

“So, if you’re here as often as you say, how come I’ve never seen you?”

“Bad luck on my part, I guess,” Kravitz said, offering a smile that somehow managed to mitigate some of the corniness of the line, but Taako still gave him the _really, buster?_ eyebrow raise. Kravitz rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Um, but I’m usually here pretty early. Or late. I used to come here in the evenings a lot, but it’s been a while.”

“I’m more of a matinee man, I guess” he said, fluttering his eyelids, and then Kravitz cleared his throat and was very quickly looking at the menu.

The customer at the front of the queue had obviously never ordered food or coffee before, so they were left chilling in a line of increasingly irritated people, the moments dragging by. And it wasn’t like he needed to look at the menu, he always got the same thing, so instead he appraised his companion.

Even though his look was basically the same as the other night, seeing the man in daylight was a different experience than when they’d met in the dark of the club. His dreads were still tied back at the nape of his neck, but he didn’t have the ribbons or gold loops in that he’d adorned them with before. He wasn’t wearing makeup, at least, nothing more than maybe a little subdued eyeliner. And his suit was still dark and formal, but more Yup-fessional than wanna-be-vampire.

Taako’s eyes drifted to his chest; he’d been all about those pecs the other night, and even though they were now covered with a suit jacket, the definition was still very much of interest.

Except…

“Wait, homie, you smoke?”

Kravitz looked taken aback, shaking his head. “Uh, no. At least, not anymore.”

Taako incredulously tapped his breast pocket with a magenta-painted fingernail. “Then what are these?”

“Oh, well,” he placed his hand over the rectangular box in his pocket, and Taako _definitely_ didn’t find his bashfulness adorable. Nosiree. “They might be tarot cards?”

A snorted laugh escaped him. “You sure? You sound unconvinced.”

Kravitz winced. “No. I’m pretty sure they’re tarot cards.”

“And you just carry them around with you?”

Now the taller man couldn’t even meet his eyes. “Maybe? I mean, they’re there, so, I guess I do.”

“Huh. Well, all right then. In that case, once we get our coffee you can tell me my future.”

They finally got to the front of the line, Taako shooting a dirty look at the guy that had taken forever for getting between him and his caffeine, but gave a sunny smile to Wanda, the cashier, and ordered his usual “skinny fairydust latte” with the multi-colored whip cream and extra sugar-glitter on top. He rolled his eyes when Kravitz ordered a drip coffee with a splash of coconut milk. He guessed he shouldn’t have been surprised. The guy was obviously a health nut, but still. An occasional sweet, ridiculously high-caloric coffee was one of the things that made life worth living.

He debated pretending to take out his wallet to pay, but Kravitz tapped his phone for payment as soon as Wanda rang them up.

The place was busy, but they managed to find a booth in the back. He tried not to roll his eyes when Kravitz took the time to wipe the table down.

“I’m glad we were able to make this work,” Kravitz said, and again, his earnest look left Taako feeling weird. “How has your day been?”

Taako shrugged. “Eh, fine. Oh…” He rummaged around in his messenger bag. “Before I forget. Here.” He handed the carved stone bird over. “I thought about getting you the bright pink tourmaline one, but figured it didn’t quite fit your aesthetic.”

Kravitz looked at it intently; it was a somewhat crudely carved raven of polished black stone. Taako regretted giving it to him almost immediately and was about to take it back when Kravitz shifted his glance up, eyes soft and sweet. “You got this for me?”

Taako looked away. “Well, don’t be too impressed, I stole it.”

“You what?” Kravitz gasped.

Taako laughed. “Just joking,” he lied. “I was at the animal sanctuary before I came here and I saw it and...” He shrugged and looked away.

“That’s really thoughtful. Thank you.”

Their coffees arrived, and to Taako’s relief, Kravitz added sugar to his mug at least. Last thing he needed was to be hanging with a black-coffee-drinking psychopath.

“So, you were at the animal sanctuary? Do you volunteer there?”

“Nah, I…” Oh, shit. He didn’t want to go down this path, but he’d kinda opened himself up for it. “Well, I have a friend and she runs this program. And I might occasionally take a kid out to do stuff.”

“Like a Big Brothers Big Sisters type thing?”

“Something like that.”

Great, now the man looked even more schmoopy. “Wow, that’s really great, Taako.”

He waved it off. “Well, like I said, my friend runs the program and she kinda suckered me into it.”

Kravitz’s expression of admiration didn’t dim in the slightest. “Well, I still think it’s great.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, well.” He took a big drink of his ridiculously pastel colored drink. “So, you gonna lay out those cards for me or what?” he asked, darting his glance back at the other man’s pocket.

“You really want me to?”

“Hell yeah. Gotta know ahead of time when fame and fortune are gonna find ol’ Taako.”

Kravitz nodded sagely, his grin poorly disguised. “Yes, I suppose a glimpse into the future would help you to prepare for your inevitable stardom.” He took the deck out of his pocket; they were wrapped in a dark blue silken fabric and tied with a silver cord. He laid the fabric over the table and handed the deck over. “Shuffle them until they feel right in your hands.”

Taako gave a quick look at the cards; they were intricately illustrated in a predominantly black and red pattern on the back and sort of a steampunk theme for the fronts. He snorted. What a goth.

“OK. Put them down on the table face down,” Kravitz said. “Then, use your left hand to cut the deck and put the top pile on the left. Now cut the left hand pile to the left again.”

Once he’d done that, Kravitz’s own left hand reached out and restacked the deck.

“So, I figured I’d do just a quick spread, if that’s fine.”

“Sure thing, my man, whatever floats your boat.”

Kravitz laughed. “And, just so you know, some people use what they call a “significator” card, but I usually don’t.”

“Cool Cool.” Taako usually didn’t either, but didn’t say anything. He wanted to see if this guy knew his stuff, so he wasn’t going to volunteer that he did tarot, too.

Kravitz switched hands and turned the top card over like he was opening a book. “So, this card indicates your past…” he started, and then he bit his lip. Taako held in a gasp when he saw the thrice-pierced heart. There was an awkward look on Kravitz’s face, so obviously the guy knew his cards pretty well.

Taako scooted it to the side. “You know what? I already know my past, no need to delve into it, huh?”

Kravitz seemed to hesitate, but then nodded. He went back to the other cards flipping the next one. “This is the present.” It was the two of cups, and Taako swallowed dryly. Again Kravitz hesitated, but he quickly went to the last card. “And I bet you can guess the next one.”

“Fame and Fortune?”

“You got it,” he said, turning it over to reveal…

“Oh,” Taako said, feeling exhausted.

Kravitz made the obvious assumption regarding Taako’s reaction and shook his head. “No, Death is actually a really misunderstood card,” he was quick to reassure, which was kind of adorable. “It doesn’t mean literal death. More of a transition from one thing to the next. Or a need to let something go in order to move forward.”

Taako put on his best unconvinced face, but shrugged. “If you say so, my dude. So, what about this one?” He pointed to the cups. “My present, you said?”

Kravitz smiled shyly. “Well, it’s a good card.” Even with his dark complexion, Taako could see a bit of a flush running across his cheeks and over the bridge of his nose. “I actually had this one in a pretty prominent spot this morning myself.”

That made Taako’s heart skip a beat. “Do you do a reading for yourself every day?”

“No. Just on days I think will be important,” Kravitz said, taking a drink of his coffee. “So, the suit of cups is primarily about matters involving feelings since water is the element of emotions. The two of cups is, well, it’s a really auspicious card for relationships… any kind, that is. It doesn’t have to be romantic,” he quickly amended. “It can be with business partners or friends or family.”

“Is that so?” he said, allowing his voice to drip with incredulity.

Kravitz laughed nervously. “Well, yes. I mean, it’s _often_ about romance, but well, it could be about that restaurant you were talking about opening with the bartender the other night, right? Maybe you two are on the verge of starting your partnership.”

Taako was a bit taken aback; it had been such an off-hand comment. How could the dude even remember that he’d been joking with Ren about their business dreams?

“And what does all that in the middle mean?” he asked, pointing to the caduceus and the lion’s head.

“That’s the Caduceus of Hermes, it has a lot of mythological meanings, but I always think of it from more of a Kundalini standpoint; the two snakes wrapped around each other signifying the balance of cosmic energy to create something stronger.”

Taako was finding it way too much fun pretending he didn’t know anything about all this. “And the kitty-cat?”

Kravitz laughed awkwardly again. “It’s a chimera. It’s, uh, it’s a symbol of… powerful connection. Of passion.”

Taako felt a flush in his own cheeks this time. Best to make a joke of it. “Well, I hate to negate your reading, my dude, but I don’t think Ren and I are going to have that kind of union when neither of us really swing that way.”

Kravitz cleared his throat. “Yes, well, a lot of a reading is letting the recipient make their own decisions about what the cards mean.” He placed a finger on the first card he’d flipped and pulled it back from where Taako had put it on the edge of the cloth. “I know you said you didn’t need to have your past read, but, if we’re going to talk about the last card, I think we kind of have to talk a little about this one, too.”

“Sure. Whatever, homes.” He took a slurping drink of his fairydust latte, casting his eyes around the room feigning disinterest.

“Well, this card is the three of swords. I won’t lie, it’s a tough card. It means you’ve had a lot of heartbreak in your past. A lot of difficulties. Maybe loved ones have betrayed you.” Taako drew in a sharp breath, but Kravitz hurried on. “The only reason I wanted to bring it up is, in conjunction with Death, it could mean you’re on the verge of some kind of breakthrough. A new start of some kind.” He pulled one more card off the deck and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as the front of the card was revealed. “The Sun,” he said in what was obviously relief. “That’s a really good sign of positive things to come.”

Had Taako ever had the Sun in one of his readings? He couldn’t imagine a time in his like that he would have. “So, all this together means what?”

“I think, all together, it means you’re entering a good phase. Maybe some difficulties, but ultimately things will work out OK.”

“With a new partnership?”

Kravitz looked away, starting to gather the cards. “That’s what the cards seem to be saying.”

“Well, who am I to argue?” he said. “So, why don’t you tell me a bit more about your reading today, handsome? You fated to start a new partnership as well?”

The flustered look on Kravitz’s face increased, but he smiled.

Another fairydust latte and a cup of boring-ass coffee later and Taako was feeling caffeinated enough that he figured he could make it through the dinner shift. Their time together had gone entirely too fast, which frankly astonished Taako. He didn’t have the best track record of making conversation with dudes he’d met at clubs, but something about Kravitz… he wasn’t sure. He usually said something cutting, trying to be funny, and the other person would be offended or just shut down and that would be the end of it. But Kravitz seemed to get it, laughing at his biting critiques and matching him with some pretty sharp commentary of his own, but nothing that made Taako feel bad. More just challenged, like he couldn’t wait to see what the guy said next.

The alarm on his phone went off, pulling his attention from the funny story Kravitz was telling about the time he and Brian took mushrooms at a classic rock laser light show. He looked at the time.

“Oh, shit.”

Kravitz looked at his own phone. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize it was this late.” He grabbed their mugs to take to the dish bin.

Taako was pulling his coat on and draping the strap of his messenger bag across his body. “It’s cool. That’s why I set the alarm.” He bit his lip, looking up at the taller man, holding both of their dirty mugs. “I gotta run,” he said while Kravitz nodded.

“Will you text me tonight?”

His heart did a weird flippy thing in his chest. “Um, sure thing, bud.” And before he could overthink it, he leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Uh, talk to you later,” he said, scurrying from the coffee shop and out into the evening.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get literally and figuratively steamy in this chapter. If you're not into that, specifically encounters of the self-love variety, you should probably skip it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have commented and "liked"- it means so much to me!  
> Again, this isn't beta'd so I apologize for typos.

Kravitz turned on the shower, twisting the hot tap until steam started to rise. His circulation problems had been particularly bad lately, what with the early-spring humidity, and even after his workouts he was still uncomfortably chilled. He stripped off his sweat-soaked clothes, tossed them into the hamper and then took the time to do some dry brushing — he’d been slacking on it lately, another reason, no doubt, why his circulation had been even worse than usual. By the time he was done, the mirrors were thoroughly fogged, and he took his first tentative steps into the shower enclosure, ever so slowly sneaking one body part at a time under the spray as his skin adjusted.

Oh, but once he was fully under, it felt divine. He craned his neck to the side, letting the water permeate his locks and soothe his aching muscles. He definitely hurt, but it was the “good hurt” that he got after a really intense workout and so he didn’t mind… much.

When he was younger, he’d never participated in sports; he’d always been more inclined to getting lost in a good book or focusing on his music. But as an adult he’d found that physical activity was one of the few things that actually helped with his anxiety. And sure, Brian might give him shit about exercising too much, but by now he enjoyed the exhaustion and the burning in his muscles to such an extent that he couldn’t see himself really slowing down, even when he did hurt more than he figured a guy in his mid-thirties should.

Grabbing the shampoo bar he began moving methodical, soapy fingers down each lock. This was another little ritual that helped him quell his racing thoughts, working the lather through his dreads until he was sure each one was permeated.

Once that was done, he settled in to let the hot water work on removing the suds. It took a while to rinse all the soap from the thick ropes of his hair. But even after he’d finished washing his skin thoroughly, he was left with a bit of time. Giving his mind the chance to wander.

And, as had been happening with increasing frequency, he found his thoughts straying to Taako.

Their conversations, via text and on the phone, had become something he increasingly looked forward to, and their coffee date a few days before had made him all the more eager to see the enchanting man again. Unfortunately, their schedules continued to be difficult, so it wasn’t until the _next_ Saturday that they had some shared time off.

Thankfully, they were both off in the evening, though, so he was finally going to get the opportunity to take Taako out to a nice, romantic dinner.

He was excited, but also a bit nervous. It had been a while since he’d gone on a real date. Or, at least, something that he _knew_ was a date  —  an outing he’d arranged himself rather than just a weird set-up by Brian. That alone would be enough to pique his nerves, but when coupled with the fact that he was pretty much resigned to being incredibly smitten with Taako, it made his heart pound in his ears to the point of distraction.

Maybe he felt a little foolish, being so taken with someone he hadn’t known that very long, but he just found himself mesmerized by Taako.

The reasons for his enchantment weren’t hard to understand. For one thing, Taako was hilarious, and Kravitz had always been weak to men with good senses of humor. Taako didn’t take anything or anyone too seriously — absolutely nothing was sacred — and while he did seem to use sarcasm and flippancy as barriers between himself and the rest of the world, Kravitz couldn’t help but find his humor delightful.

He was smart, too. He liked to play at being dumb, but it had been clear from even their very earliest communications that Taako was incredibly intelligent. Some of his cutting observations and subtle references had spoken to a well-read, well-informed man, and, again, brains were an incredibly sexy trait to Kravitz.

Also, underneath the snarky veneer was a vulnerability that Kravitz was drawn too. Sure, he tended to come off as conceited, but his sassy assertions of his own awesomeness were strangely becoming. Kravitz could tell some of it was overcompensation, but he also seemed to have some proof to back up his claims, and confidence was _always_ an attractive feature.

And then there was the obvious physical attraction. Taako had fit perfectly in his arms at the club. His soft, rounded curves, accentuated by his whimsical fashion sense, had left Kravitz charmed and eager. The chemistry was almost overpowering, and it had taken every last shred of will not to let Taako do whatever he’d wanted to him at the club.

And maybe he had a few concerns about Taako’s seemingly indiscriminate libido, but when it came right down to it, Kravitz found his own libido a bit exaggerated lately as well.

As he returned to the moment, he sighed. It wasn’t like he should have been surprised by his body’s reactions to thoughts of Taako at this point.

After so long being without a partner, he’d fallen more or less into maintenance masturbatory habits. The urge certainly didn’t go away, after all, but he was a busy man and it was easy to get distracted with other things and then employ the bare minimum of effort to get off.

Since meeting Taako, though, it was as if seven years’ worth of mostly-ignored sexual energy had suddenly resurfaced with a vengeance. It was embarrassing how just hearing his lilting voice over the phone got Kravitz turned on, and how the pretty steady stream of selfies that Taako sent him were viewed with less-than-chaste interest.

He reached past the shower curtain, dried his hand on a towel, and pressed the power button of his phone to see the time. He had almost an hour before he had to leave, so…

He and Taako flirted a lot whenever they talked and texted, but it had been relatively tame thus far. To his credit, Taako had ended up being pretty understanding of Kravitz wanting to take it slow, and he appreciated that. There had been innuendo, of course, but nothing that could really be considered sexting. The idea of letting their conversations stray into more X-rated territory, though, definitely set his heart to beating faster, and other parts of his anatomy were definitely interested in exploring the possibility as well.

As he’d found himself doing more and more often, he let his thoughts drift back to the Crystal Kingdom and to the way they’d made out like teenagers in the sparkling, kaleidoscopic club. Taako had tasted so sweet, making Kravitz's tongue tingle with the tang of raspberry lip balm and the fruity, alcoholic shots they’d drunk all night. Sometimes Kravitz woke up craving that taste, thinking of the sultry looks Taako had cast up at him with his beautiful, dark eyes as he bit his lip with such adorably gapped teeth. It made Kravitz’s breath catch in the back of his throat and his pulse spiked like he’d just finished a run.

He remembered how amazing it had been feeling Taako’s lips and tongue and teeth against his neck, and how the gorgeous man had run skittering fingers over his chest. It had been so long since he’d actually welcomed someone’s touch like that. So long since he’d had someone in his life to focus libidinous thoughts on at all.

Body growing more sensitive, he thought of how Taako's jeans had highlighted his sweet, round behind. How distracted and more than a little hot under the collar he'd gotten as Taako had ground against him — the curve of his perfect ass shifting against Kravitz's dick.

As he began to really stroke himself in earnest, he allowed his thoughts to stray from what had actually happened that night and pushed the narrative further. What if he’d taken Taako up on his offer? If he’d allowed him to take his hand and pull him through the crowd to the bathrooms? Running a hand up his length, he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to paint the picture. Taako yanking him into a stall and locking the door behind them. Having his back pushed up against the cold metal wall while Taako kissed and touched him, pushing a knee between Kravitz’s legs. He gave himself a squeeze, imagining it was Taako’s hand on him, teasing him. A groan echoed against the tiled walls, and he very distinctly didn’t think about being so loud while he jacked it alone in the shower.

His pace picked up, and his mind’s eye supplied an image of Taako dropping to his knees. Something about envisioning Taako’s pristine beauty in the dirty surroundings of a club toilet made his cock jump in his hand, which intensified with the next thought of the gorgeous man undoing his pants and pushing them down to pool around his ankles. The idea that there would be other people in the bathroom, able to see Taako kneeling in front of him and being aware of exactly what was going on, added an extra frisson of illicitness to the imagined encounter and he bit his lip.

He was rock hard now, his breathing shallow, teetering on the edge of his orgasm, but there was one last element: he summoned the image of Taako’s smug face tilted up and looking right into Kravitz’s eyes. He imagined gently brushing Taako’s bangs out of his face, and in perfect sexual fantasy logic, somehow the ridiculous wizard’s hat managed to stay perched on the back of his head even as he leaned in and opened his mouth to wrap his lips around Kravitz’s cock.

And it was that image: hat magically immobile as Taako took his length down his throat that pushed him over the edge.

He took a deep breath and rinsed the wall off with what was quickly turning into lukewarm water.

* * * * *

"Come on in, child!"

Kravitz tentatively opened the door and peeked his head in. "Hope I'm not too early."

"Not at all," Izzy said with a soft smile as she walked over to give him a hug. "Good to see you, dear."

"You too, Iz," he said, placing the bottle of wine he'd brought on the entry table so that he could wrap his arms around her shoulders. Resting his chin on the top of her head he absorbed her affection. She always gave the best hugs. He shot Raven a smile as she came in from the kitchen. "Thanks for having me over."

Raven joined them and squeezed him, too. "Well, you been getting so thin, figured the least we could do is fill you full of carbs,” she said, pinching his side.

He laughed and placed a kiss to her cheek. "Gee, thanks."

It had been a while since he’d been over to Raven and Izzy’s. When they’d lived in the city, it had been easy to swing by and have dinner or help in their little garden. Now that they were up in the foothills, it took a bit more effort to get out their way.

The separation was pretty weird seeing as how he’d lived with them for quite a while, but he supposed that in this case the distance actually meant he was making progress.

“It smells delicious,” he said, following them back to the kitchen. “So I know _you_ didn’t cook, Ray.”

Izzy chortled. “In her defense, she’s made some progress with toast lately. It only comes out burnt about every other time now.”

Raven glared at them. “You two know you don’t actually have to make fun of my cooking _every_ time we have a meal together, right?”

Shaking his head somberly, Kravitz sighed. “Actually, I’m afraid we do. We made a pact.”

“That’s right,” Izzy agreed, holding up a fist, which he bumped.

Raven huffed. “Just for that, ya’ll don’t get any dessert.”

“If you made it, I don’t think we even _want_ it.”

“Rude boy! And here I even got your favorite cake. Good thing I like it too since I’m gonna have to eat _all of it_.”

Oh no. Miscalculation. “You mean the chocolate one from Costco that’s practically a foot high?” he asked. “Never mind, I take it all back.”

She shook her head. “Too late. It’s mine now.”

He groaned theatrically. “Come on! Anyway, it’s not like I don’t fully acknowledge that I’m a miserable cook, too.”

Izzy snickered. “Remember that time he tried to make _chechebsa_ and _doro wat_?” Both women laughed and Kravitz winced. He would be the first to admit that it really had been awful. Izzy continued, this time with a definite smirk. “Of course, from what Raven tells me, you might be getting some _private cooking lessons_ in the not too distant future.”

Wince intensifying, Kravitz groaned again. He’d known that his love life would be a prominent topic of conversation, but that didn’t make the innuendo any easier to handle.

“You’re not even going to let me have some food before you start in on this?”

“Nope,” Raven said. “You should see him, love. Every time his phone makes any kind of noise, he’s glued to it, blushin’ up a storm.”

“Like you’re any better when you get a text from Izzy,” he grumbled.

“Aw, really?” Izzy asked, taking her wife’s hand. “Even after all this time, huh?”

Raven smiled, and her own ebony cheeks darkened in embarrassment. “Well…”

When he’d first met them — after he’d lost his everything — it had been difficult being around both of them together. They were just so very much in love and so well matched that it had been almost unbearable after what he’d gone through. Enough time had passed, though, that seeing them together warmed his heart. And if there was an occasional twinge, it was usually only after one attempt or another at finding his other half had failed.

Izzy handed him a loaf of bread and some butter. “Now you _should_ be able to cut and butter this without doing too much damage. And Ray, I think even you can manage a salad.”

Tasks assigned, they fell into their familiar, familial, patterns.

The sunset coming through the window over the kitchen sink was glowing red and gold as they sat down to Izzy’ wonderful vegetarian lasagna; it was one of Kravitz’s favorite recipes. His garlic bread turned out more or less OK if they scraped the burnt ends off, and the salad was fresh from their garden, so it tasted pretty spectacular. Everything also paired well with the wine he’d brought — including the amazing chocolate cake — and the only thing he thought that could have made it any better was if Taako had been there with him.

“So, when do you see him next?” Izzy interrupted his thoughts, and he startled.

“Um, what?”

Izzy laughed. “Your boy. When do you see him next?”

There was the distinct feeling of blood rushing to his cheeks. “Saturday.”

“Uh huh? And what’re you going to do?”

He rolled his eyes. “Dinner.”

The women exchanged a look.

“And then?”

“I don’t know, maybe a walk? Or some hear some music?”

“And _then_?” she winked, elbowing Raven who snickered at his discomfort.

“God, you two, I swear…” he said, trying to act aloof but he knew he wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Can’t blame us for wanting nice things for you, sweetheart,” Raven said, and her smile gentled.

“I guess not.”

“Show Izzy his picture.”

He pulled out his phone and handed it over. Izzy made an “aw” sound. “He’s cute.” She handed the phone back. “Next time you come over, you bring him too, all right?”

“All right,” he said, and while he tried to hide the way his heart flipped at the thought, the glance the two women shot each other was enough to tell him he failed.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

Taako scooted through the door and made a beeline for the stairs, but unfortunately Merle and Mags were already headed down and there was no way he could squeeze by those two lunkheads in the tiny staircase.

“Hey, ‘Ko! I didn’t think you’d be home,” Magnus said, his voice bouncing against the walls. “I know you gotta go back to work tonight, but we were gonna go grab burgers. You wanna come? My treat?” Taako cast a quick look outside and sure enough he could see Julia unlocking her van while Davenport stood to the side, laughing at something she’d said.

“Um, yeah, no. If ya’ll are going out, I think I’ll take advantage and have a little Taako Time.”

Merle grunted as he sidled past, finally leaving the stairs open. “You really don’t need to tell us when you’re going to masturbate. We already know you jack it all the time.”

Taako rolled his eyes as he sprang up the stairs. “Um, no, dude, that would be you whenever Dav is gone.” he yelled over his shoulder. “Have fun getting burgers. Just don’t go to Petrilda’s. That isn’t cow meat they serve.”

He closed his door behind him and resolutely ignored whatever Mags or Merle said afterwards. He didn’t have a ton of time before he had to be back at work and he still had to shower. But if he skipped washing his hair and just braided it…

He pulled out his phone and typed **yo, krav, if ur there, send me a pic (4:47 PM)**

He pushed some of the clothes off his bed, leaving just enough room to throw himself down and sink into the depths of his fluffy comforter. He flicked through a few sites he tended to frequent, just in case, but he hoped to get a little sumptin sumptin from Krav.

**Gothottie: Hey Taako. I’m in the middle of a run so I’m really sweaty and gross. Not sure you want a picture of that. (4:48 PM)**

Taako raised his eyebrows. Oh, he could probably get behind, (ha ha), a flushed and sweaty Kravitz. Already his mind was running wild. **u might b surprised [winking emoji] (4:48PM)**

He ran a hand over his dick through his jeans; just light, only enough to pique his interest, so to speak. The minutes dragged on, though, and there wasn’t a response. He groaned and pulled up one of his latest favorites (and if one of the dudes in the vid happened to look like Kravitz, well, who could blame him? The guy was hot.)

But just as the cheesy dialogue started, his message alert sounded. He quickly paused the video and flicked over to the message.

**Gothottie: Don’t say I didn’t warn you… (4:51PM)**

Taako waited as it took what felt like an eternity for the picture to come through. But as it loaded, he was not disappointed.

Finally out of a suit, Kravitz was in a tight fitting black athletic shirt that clung to his chest and hit just the right note of sexiness as far as Taako was concerned. His skin glistened in the late afternoon sunlight and he had even managed a lopsided, slightly come-hither smile.

Taako popped the button on his jeans and slipped his hand underneath the waistband. **u smilin for me??? (4:52 PM)**

**Gothottie: I try to learn my lessons quickly. (4:52 PM)**

Oh, Taako had no doubt of that. **i bet i could teach you all kinda things, handsome (4:53 PM)** He imagined a blush spreading over Kravitz’s cheeks, and he wondered how far he could go… **so jogging, huh? (4:53 PM)** he typed, flicking back to the picture. Oh yes, he could work with this. Not too hard (ha) to imagine the rest of Kravitz’s body in workout gear. Then out of workout gear. Bent over. Or, no! Riding him. God he could just imagine Mr. Fitness straddling his lap, his thighs quivering, his abs flexing…

Taako arched his hips just enough to push his jeans and boxers under the curve of his ass and run skittering fingers over taut skin.

**Gothottie: Yes, it’s a beautiful evening for it. If I’d have known you weren’t at work, I’d have invited you to come with. Did you get off? (4:54 PM)**

Taako nearly choked at that. “Not yet,” he said to his empty room with a chuckle. Maybe Krav was picking up what he was putting down? He pumped his hand down the shaft then back up to thumb at the head. He looked at the pic again for a moment, just to refresh his memory, before responding.

 **have to be to work in 30, so just enjoying a little Taako Time™** **(4:56 PM)** (he was glad he used the trademark symbol enough that it came up without him having to dig for it).

**Gothottie: Nice alliteration. And just what does “Taako Time” T M entail? (4:56 PM)**

OK, that had to be a leading question for a little sexy-talk, right? **could b anything, but right now its texting a hot guy 1 handed and looking @ his pic (4:57 PM)**

**Gothottie: Then I take it back, I wouldn’t have invited you out (4:58 PM)**

Taako’s hand stuttered to a stop. Shit, really? He knew dude was like super hung-up on not moving things too fast, but come on!

But the dots were still dancing. **Gothottie: I’d have invented some reason for you to invite me over instead (4:58 PM)**

Oh, that was much better. He picked up the pace again.

**u’d be willing to give a guy a hand? (4:59 PM)**

**Gothottie: At the very least. (4:59 PM)**

Taako groaned. **o yeah? wanna tell me more? (5:00 PM)**

The dots circled, stopped, circled, stopped, and Taako was just about ready to go back to the video when a message came through.

**Gothottie: I’ve been thinking a lot about that night in the club. How gorgeous you are.  How much I’d like to taste you. (5:02 PM)**

The flutter in Taako’s chest had him biting his lip. **been thinking the same babe (5:02 PM)** he debated for a second, but then decided to just go for it, sending a pic of his hand fisted around his cock followed by **can’t wait to get ur big dick in my mouth spcially since you denied me before (5:02 PM)**

There was no response, and he was worried he’d gone to far. Then: **Gothottie: Shit, Taako. That’s fucking hot, but I’m sitting here on a public park bench! (5:03 PM)**

Taako laughed a bit maniacally. How could he not? Imagining the dude, legs crossed conspicuously in some wholesome city park was just some funny shit. **now im thinking of a few things we could do on a park bench (5:03 PM)**

He was getting close, his breath coming out in shallow puffs and his muscles tight. He decided he should share.

 **getting close, babe, thinking bout u. thinking bout ur mouth. Those pecs. ur hot ass** **(5:04 PM)**

And he did. He thought of all of it. Thought about kissing Kravitz. About running his hands all over him. Thought about sucking him off. Of stretching him open and burying himself…

Then, to his surprise, his mind reversed their positions. Kravitz over him, inside of him, and he…  he  _wasn’t_ _freaking out_ (was he really not freaking out???) and…

And oh, yes, there it was.

He let the waves of his peak roll through him until he was left breathless and limp on his bed.

Well. That was a surprise.

He’d thought he’d never want… not after…

He stopped that train of thought right in the station. Nope. Not gonna go there. Nosiree.

After a few moments, he picked up the phone from where it had fallen out of his twitching hand. He texted an eggplant emoji and a fountain.

**Gothottie: Jesus, Taako (5:08 PM)**

**Gothottie: I still have to jog home! (5:08 PM)**

Taako laughed. **poor baby u gonna make it back without getting slapped w public indecency? (5:08 PM)**

**Gothottie: Let’s just say it's going to take a while to calm down enough for me to leave the relative safety of this bench (5:08 PM)**

He snickered. **sucks to be u, m’dude (5:08 PM)**

**Gothottie: Well, it might not be ideal, but it’s not *so* bad. I do get to have dinner with the most beautiful man ever in a few days. [heart emoji] (5:09 PM)**

Taako felt his chest twist again. He wasn’t used to guys being romantic. He was just generally more comfortable being in situations where he was using a guy with the understanding that the guy was using him right back. It was a dynamic he understood.

This… whatever it was with Kravitz… didn’t feel like that at all, though. And sometimes it made him incredibly uncomfortable.

Well, now wasn't the time to go there. **gotta hit the shower ttyl (5:10 PM)** he texted, trying very hard not to think about anything other than calming his breath and all the shit he had to do that night at work.

He very distinctly didn’t look at his phone when he heard the message alert.

Until he was back out of the shower, anyway.

**Gothottie: I hope you have a good night, Taako. [kiss emoji] Can’t wait for Saturday (5:11 PM)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading/commenting! It is such a delight to know that my words are not just being thrown out into the void!  
> I apologize for any typos... I always try to proofread, but, alas, I am very fallible.   
> We're gearing up for some smut, but not there yet.

Kravitz parked outside the house at 235 Neverwinter lane. The neighborhood was older, a little run down, but the house itself looked really well cared for. Not only were there orderly flower beds on the south side of the sidewalk leading up to the house, but the opposite side was comprised of what looked to be a neat little vegetable garden in a few months. As Kravitz walked up to the doorway, he smiled to see little paper signs on chopsticks proudly displaying the names of each plant that would be growing once the frost risk was over.

He took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

The door was whipped open abruptly and a shortish, grey-bearded, hippie-looking dude was standing there giving him the stink eye. “What do you want?”

“Um, my name’s Kravitz? I’m here to see Taako?” He said, dismayed that the words came out with inquisitive inflection at the end.

“That so? Humph.” The man seemed unimpressed as he sized him up. When his eyes fell to the bouquet of flowers in Kravitz’s hand, though, his attitude seemed to shift a little. “Those for him?”

“Uh, yes?” He cleared his throat. “Yes.” He said again, removing the question from his tone.

The man gave a curt laugh. “Well, that’s a new one. I don’t think any of his dates ever brought him flowers before. We should get those in a vase.” He reached out for them with a prosthetic hand.

“Can I give them to Taako first?

The man sighed. “Buddy, when was your date scheduled for?”

“6:30.”

“And since its just 6:30 now, those flowers will have wilted by the time Taako is done with his routine.”

“Oh, well, OK,” he said, handing them over.

The man looked closely at the flowers. “This is a decent bouquet. Not just the usual bullshit. You go to Pan’s Nursery?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“They’re the only ones in town that use any good flowers. Like these delphiniums? Very fresh. Plus, I can tell Sloane pulled this together for you. She always puts the aspidistra leaves around the stems. Makes a nice statement when they’re put in a clear vase.” He turned and hobbled into the house. “Well, you might as well come in. You’re going to be waiting a while.”

“Uh. Thanks,” Kravitz said, closing the door behind him. “And you’re Taako’s…?”

The man let out a laugh. “Older, smarter, more handsome roommate. The name’s Merle,” the man said, pulling out a step stool to grab a vase from an upper shelf in the open-concept kitchen. He took the little flower food pack, but before he could do anything with it, Kravitz cleared his throat.

“Wait.” He walked over to Merle, “You can just toss that. I… well, put this in the water instead.” He pulled a little vial from the inner pocket of his jacket.

Merle took it, looking at him curiously. “Is it acid?”

The question was so unexpected that Kravitz gave an unintentionally loud laugh. “What? No! No, it’s just a little sugar, some lemon juice, and a bit of bleach. I never like the proportions they put in those packets.” He gave the man an incredulous look. “Acid? Really?”

Merle shrugged as he poured the liquid into the vase and handed back the vial. “A guy can hope, right? Nothing helps a rosebush grow quite like a tab. You shoulda seen my blooms back in the 60s.”

“I’m sure they were… lovely,” he said, and a moment of awkward silence followed.

“So you know about flowers, huh?” Merle finally asked as he began to cut the stems under running water.

“A bit. I deal with them a lot in my job.”

“If you’re a florist, you can’t work at Pan’s… I’d recognize you.”

“No. I work at…” he sighed. This was usually when people took a step back and looked at him with distaste. “… have you heard of Raven’s Rest?”

Merle shook his head.

“It’s a funeral home.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess you guys probably go through a lot of flowers.”

Kravitz was surprised at the man’s nonchalance. People often gave him a wide berth after he told them where he worked. Merle hadn’t even flinched. “Yeah.”

The older man nodded. “Makes sense.” He finished his preparations, and Kravitz was surprised. For a rough and tumble looking guy, Merle definitely had a way with arranging a bouquet.

“That’s lovely. Thank you.”

“Eh, don’t mention it.” Merle took them and started walking into the living area. “You want a drink, help yourself,” he said, waving a hand at the collection of liquor bottles crowding the space on top of the refrigerator. Once in the living room, the short man kinda hopped into a recliner and turned his attention to the TV, putting his feet up, and grabbing what looked to be a tumbler of whiskey.

Kravitz wasn’t entirely sure if drinking before dinner was the best idea, but he was a bit nervous and it would give him something to do with his hands. “Thanks.”

“There’s some mixers in the ‘fridge.”

He poured a tiny splash of vodka and a much larger amount of tonic water, then debated a moment before he joined Merle in the living portion of the room.

“So, you’re employed,” Merle said after a few minutes of silence.

“Yes.”

“Well, that already puts you about five steps ahead of the trash Taako usually dates. I swear that man actively tries to choose the biggest shitheads he can find.” Merle looked at him from the corner of his eye. “You don’t hit your boyfriends, do you?”

Kravitz nearly chocked on his v&t. “What? No! God no!”

“Good, ‘cause maybe it doesn’t look like I can do any damage, but we got other roommates and they’re big. The last dickhole that hurt Taako? Well, he lost a lot of weight on account of his jaw being wired shut. Not to mention the two broken legs.”

Kravitz nearly dropped his drink.

“Voila! Taako has arrived!”

Taako strutted into the room — an enormous, wide-brimmed white hat on his head and a matching floor-length coat wrapped around his curves like a 40s movie star. He spun around in an exaggerated manner, but his smile dissolved when he saw Kravitz’s face. He put his hands on his hips, an angry frown settling over his expression. “Merle! What the fuck did you say to him?”

Merle just shrugged and took another drink. “Just makin’ small talk.” The older man pointed his chin at the coffee table. “He has decent taste in flowers.”

“Oh my god, please tell me you weren’t telling him about your ‘arbor ardor.’” Taako’s words dried up as he looked at the bouquet, then back at Kravitz. “Wait. You got me flowers?”

Still partway petrified, Kravitz could only offer a half-hearted nod. “Yes?” Oh, great, he was back to questions.

Taako bit his lip, shifted his gaze between him and the flowers. Then pulled his shoulders back. “Well, so you should,” he said, but his own cocky smile seemed stretched too tightly across his face. “You ready to go?”

“Yes. Please.” He stood quickly and deposited his glass in the sink. “It was… nice… meeting you Merle.”

“Be careful out there, you two. Don’t break any legs,” Merle said, giving a sharp look at Kravitz once more.

“Don’t wait up!” Taako sing-songed, his hips swaying as he walked. Kravitz followed quickly after, shutting the door behind him.

“Wait, Taako,” he said.

Taako turned to look at him a flash of emotion crossing his face. “What?”

“I just wanted to tell you that you look amazing.”

Face upturned, the crease between Taako’s eyes smoothed. “Well, natch.”

“Natch,” he repeated with a nod.

A quick flutter of eyelashes, and Kravitz felt his heart stammer in his chest. “Sweet talker,” Taako said, placing his hands against the lapels of Kravitz’s jacket. “Of course, not many men can pull off an asymmetrical cut, lace-up blazer.”

“Am I one of them? Will I embarrass you to be seen with me?” he said, fighting the urge to lean in.

“Well, that has yet to be seen,” Taako said quietly. He bit his lip, and Kravitz found his eyes drawn to the little gap that separated Taako’s front teeth. He wound an arm around Taako’s waist and pulled him in…

Then the wide brim of the hat bounced against his forehead.

Taako laughed, loud and endearingly obnoxious. “Well, _now_ I’m embarrassed.”

“Me too,” he grumbled, rubbing a hand across his brow, but the mirth on Taako’s face was contagious and he found himself smiling in spite of his faux pas. He held out his arm and, after a moment, Taako wrapped his hand around the crook of his elbow. They walked down the sidewalk.

“This your car?” Taako asked as Kravitz opened the passenger side door of his BMW for him.

“No, I hot wired it on my way over. If you see the cops, let me know.”

“Smart ass.” He muttered and they both got in. “So, you’re loaded, huh?”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Kravitz started the car and began to drive.

“My dude, this is the nicest car I’ve ever been in. And I’m…” he was fiddling with buttons, now. “Yep. Seat warmers.” He wiggled his butt in the seat. “You got seat warmers: you’re loaded.”

“I’m comfortable.”

“Uh huh,” Taako said, now turning his attention to the radio. “And… all of your presets are classical? I didn’t even think this city had more that one classical station.” He paused his quick button-pressing. “Oh, wait, I take it back… NPR.”

“Well, what do you listen to?”

“Um, stuff that was written within the last century?”

“I do, too,” Kravitz defended. He smirked at the skeptical look Taako was giving him. “There are some very impressive contemporary composers doing some very interesting things right now. In fact…” He reached up from the gear shift to click one of the presets. “I’m going to see this composer in a few months.” He looked out of the corner of his eye. “I actually have _two_ tickets, if you’re interested?”

“Let’s see how tonight goes first, huh fella?”

“Fair enough,” he said, but he couldn’t help the hopeful little swell in his chest. Everything was going so much better than Brian had lead him to believe. Which reminded him…

“Oh, I forgot to ask. Did Klarg tell you about how the rest of his and Brian’s night went?”

Taako snorted. “I think I can _guess_ how the rest of their night went.”

“Well, yes, obviously, but did you hear Brian ended up in jail?”

“What?!” Taako turned almost completely in his seat. “No!”

Kravitz laughed, struggling maybe just a little to keep his mind on driving. “Well, I got a call the next morning — well, several, and I pretty much had one foot in the grave, let me tell you — but Brian calls me and leaves a bunch of voicemails that he needs me to come and pick him up at the police station.”

“They got caught fuckin’ in public, huh?”

“That’s what you’d expect, right? But no. It was a noise complaint. Turns out Klarg wanted to talk things through after, well… after they’d “kissed-and-made-up”.”

The shift in Taako’s expression went from delighted to sick. “So a DV?” Taako asked and Merle’s “warning” came back to Kravitz’s mind, so he quickly explained.

“No. No, nothing like that. It was for singing.”

The tension lifted a little. “Singing?”

Kravitz smiled. “I guess Klarg accused Brian of just wanting to date him so he could get in free at the Dungeon, and Brian swore it wasn’t true, and decided to prove his devotion by singing a love song to Klarg, _a la_ “Say Anything” — without the boombox, but still — and the neighbors called in a complaint.”

“And the cops took him in for that?”

“Not exactly. According to Brian, they’d had more to drink when they got back to Klarg’s place, so he was a bit belligerent. And it didn’t help when he tried to take the cop’s handcuffs off his belt.”

“Oh. Fuck.”

Kravitz nodded. “At least he didn’t try to take the cop’s gun... and he’s white, so, you know…”

“Yeah. If you or I did that, whole other story, right?”

Kravitz sighed. “Yeah. But, I guess in spite of everything, he and Klarg have seen each other almost every night since.”

There was a bit of silence, just long enough for Kravitz to worry what Taako might be thinking. Finally, Taako said dismissively: “I give it a month.”

“Well, with Brian’s track record that would count as his longest relationship ever.”

He was just about to ask how long Taako and Brian had dated, but knowing Brian, and hearing about Taako, he supposed “dated” might not be the most accurate description of their association. And he _almost_ asked how long Taako’s longest relationship was, but considering that it would be natural for Taako to ask the same of him, and his definitely not wanting to explain any of that right now, he let it be.

“So, um, Merle seems weird,” he said instead. “I’m unsettled by what you might have meant by “arbor ardor.”

Taako’s grin was toothy. “Well, let’s just say those pretty flowers you got me might not be quite as pretty tomorrow.”

They continued to drive to the restaurant, Kravitz grimacing as Taako regaled him about numerous things he wished he’d never heard about the strange man and various exotic flora.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

Taako was trying very hard not to overthink everything. What the fuck did it matter if Kravitz had brought him stupid flowers? So what if the guy was apparently loaded, had seen the crappy house he and the dipshit-dunderheads lived in, and was still taking him to a restaurant where they were using valet parking? He couldn’t see how it mattered that the place they were about to eat at was one of the restaurants he’d been saving up for to take Lup for a special occasion.

Nope. Taako absolutely, one-hundo percent didn’t care. He was made for this high-rolling lifestyle, so of course he could get through this evening without making an ass of himself. No sweat.

“I hope this is OK,” Kravitz said as he opened the car door for him, and no, Taako did not jump at the door opening suddenly while he spaced out _thank-you-very-much_. “I should have asked if a vegetarian restaurant was all right with you, but it’s a bit hard to find places I can eat.”

“Oh, you’re a vegetarian, huh?” Taako said, linking their arms as they walked.

“Yes. But I try to be a non-preachy one.”

“Well, good, ‘cause if there is one thing Taako can’t stand, it’s that holier-than-thou bullshit.” He appraised the place as they were guided through a series of cozy little rooms. “Anyway, Lup is a vegetarian, too. I’ll have to make you our world-famous cauliflower Buffalo wings sometime.”

“That would be amazing,” Kravitz said, and apparently cauliflower Buffalo wings had never been so Significant if the look on the dude’s face was any indication.

Once they’d arrived at their table, Kravitz pulled out a chair and just stood there, and it took a beat before Taako realized he had pulled it out for him. Feeling a bit sheepish, he decided to fall back on his usual MO: Act imperious. “I’ll let you take this, sweet cheeks,” he said, peeling off his coat.

There was a moment on their way over where Taako wondered if he should have dressed up more traditionally, but Kravitz’s expression quickly put an end to that line of thought. Once his outfit was revealed, the guy looked absolutely dumbfounded for a moment, but then scrambled to take the proffered coat.

The dude was enchanted.

Taako gave a wink, smoothing the lines of his pearlescent white one-shoulder jumpsuit. It shimmered even in the dim light of the restaurant.

“You’re stunning,” Kravitz gasped.

“You know it, homie.” He sat and opened the menu. “So what kinda booze they got in this place?”

There was a reason Taako had been planning on taking Lup to this restaurant whenever they had something twin-specific to celebrate next; it was all farm-to-table, organic, la-di-da, supes fancy including in-house distillations of liquor etc.. He wanted to try just about everything on the menu. He decided to start with a cucumber-infused vodka tonic and accepted a sip from Kravitz’s glass of locally sourced elderberry wine.

“I fucking hate being allergic to peanuts! I’d totally order the seitan satay-‘chicken’ app with peanut sauce,” he said, then choked a little. “But, uh, at that price it should come with a happy ending.”

Kravitz gave a chuckle that turned into a snort and he covered his mouth. “I don’t think it’s that kind of restaurant,” he managed once he’d collected himself. “And please, get whatever you’d like. Tonight’s on me.”

Normally he wouldn’t have even cared if a dude was picking up the tab, but… “Well, you got coffee the other day.”

“But I invited you out tonight. What kind of man would invite you out and not pay?”

The twinge of discomfort was unexpected, so he went to his usual “out” of trying to make the other person as uncomfortable as he felt. “Best be careful, Kravvy, or I’ll think you’re trying to buy your way into my pants.”

Bullseye. Kravitz’s eyes widened even while his forehead furrowed. “No, Taako, please. That wasn’t at all what I…”

“Take it easy, dude. Taako’s just messin’ with you.” He ran his foot up the inside of Kravitz’s leg under the table. “And, for the record, you have a free-pass into them whenever you want, so no need to go broke trying to buy admission.”

Kravitz cleared his throat. “Really, that isn’t what this is all about, I hope you know that. I just don’t go out much, so when I do, I like to make an occasion of it.”

Taako took pity on him and lowered his foot. “Oh? So that whole “don’t-do-casual” thing wasn’t just a clever ruse to make me feel special, huh?”

“Uh, definitely not a ruse. And I don’t think I have words to describe how special you are.” He took a sip of wine as though trying to ground himself. “But no, I really don’t get out much.”

“Never woulda guessed,” he drawled, but capped it with one of his more playful smiles. “So, if you’re not out every night impressing your latest conquests, what _are_ you doing? You got a job?”

“Yes. I have a job,” he said, but seemed like he didn’t want to talk about it, which caught Taako’s attention because usually well-off business dudes couldn’t _wait_ to talk about their work. And maybe it was weird that they’d had a ton of conversations by now and he didn’t know this very basic thing, but it had never seemed important when they were just chatting and generally goofing off. “You gonna tell me? Or can’t you talk about it because you’re an international assassin or something and you’d have to kill me?”

The snort that Kravitz gave was ~~utterly charming~~ super loud. “Nothing so _glamorous_ as international assassin,” he said with definite irony. “Though I guess I might get the end results of an assassin’s work,” he seemed to muse. Taako looked at him quizzically, and Kravitz gave a shrug before he continued. “I work at a mortuary.”

“Oh, god, no wonder you fuckin’ dress like the grim reaper!” Taako said. “Way to be typecast, my man.”

He sighed. “Sadly, the fashion sense predates the job. But it’s not completely gloomy. I happen to work at an ecologically-friendly mortuary that focuses on rebuilding and caring for natural habitats.”

“Eco-friendly? God, Lup is gonna flip her fuckin’ lid.”

“Why?”

“Oh, she’s into that saving the Earth schtick. She’s obsessed with how nature is all about things having to die for new stuff to grow. You should hear her about the ‘necessity of wildfires’, saying how they’re super important for ecological balance but its really just ‘cause she likes to light shit on fire.”

A strange expression crossed Kravitz’s face, but after a moment he seemed to rally. “Well, I tend to agree with that position. Though not specifically so that I can light things on fire. But I believe strongly in natural cycles and balance.” He looked away, and for a moment a flash of pain or sorrow or something similar colored his expression, but he eventually managed to stretch a smile across his lips. “Your sister sounds really interesting. I’d love to meet her.”

“Uh, yeah, maybe some day,” Taako said, flippantly.

Thankfully, the dude didn’t press. “You said you’re a chef, right? And you’re going to open your own place with that bartender… Ren was it?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s gonna be awesome.” He took a drink of his v&t. “What I’m doing now, you can’t really call it ‘being a chef’ though. It’s just to pay the bills. I don’t get to pick the menus or anything. But one day I’ll have a place and it will be _mind-blowing_.”

A soft expression settled on Kravitz’s face. “I don’t doubt it for a minute,” he said, and Taako couldn’t look at him. It was just stupid how sweet the guy was. “Would you still want to do the cooking? Or just manage the place?”

“Oh, I’d totally still do the cooking. That’s the best way to create really baller food. You have to get in there and experiment. Like, the other day, we only had some sad-ass kale and eggs and mozzarella in the house, but I mixed it with some leftover khichri, added a little garam masala, some onions and garlic. Primo!”

“That sounds incredible.”

And, shit, the guy actually seemed interested. Usually when he talked about cooking with anyone other than Lup, people tended to glaze over. “What about you, thug? What lights your burners?”

“Sadly not cooking. I’m pretty hopeless in the kitchen. My true passion is composing.”

“Composing…?”

“Symphonies.” He looked a bit sheepish. “So, it’ll probably never happen, but it’s my dream to conduct an orchestra that is playing one of my own works some day.”

“Well, shit, dude. That’s… really nerdy.” Taako said before the butterfly net that was his verbal filter could stop him. He grimaced. “I mean, that’s fine. It’s not like I didn’t already suspect you were a huge geek, and I guess most of the people I know are, too, so, it’s not like there is anything wrong with that. I just didn’t _maybe_ expect band-camp-level nerdiness.”

To his, well, not relief, because, who cared if this guy was offended by something he said? But, like, in the interest of not having an awkward dinner, he was grateful that his words made Kravitz laugh instead of storm off.

“Really, Taako, you have absolutely no idea.” He rubbed his forehead. “So, you’ve got to promise not to judge me too harshly, but I didn’t even manage band-camp-nerdiness. I was always in the orchestra.”

“Oh _Shit._ That _is_ bad.”

“Believe me, I know.”

They shared a smile, and it was good, because if there was one thing Taako had learned, it was that people that couldn’t laugh at themselves didn’t last long around him.

They ordered, and the seitan-satay when it came out was really pretty good — even if he didn’t get to have any of the peanut sauce — and the bite he took of Kravitz’s macro plate wasn’t maybe the most impressive thing in the world, but the way the dude’s eyes widened when Taako held out a bite of his own sweet potato gnocchi, and wouldn’t let him have it until he’d licked his fingers clean, well, that more than made up for a mixed bag of a meal. (Not to mention that his brain was already spinning about ways he could adjust the gnocchi recipe into a falafel-type dish that would turn it from blah to _ta-da!_ )

And it was nice. Just like dancing had been nice, and coffee had been nice, and how Kravitz… Kravitz was _nice_.

It had been a while (maybe never?) since he’d been out with someone who was an actually decent person. Of course, it wasn’t like he’d actually _dated_ anyone in a long time, but, you know, whatever.

Before he knew it, they were scraping dessert spoons against a plate that had just moments ago held a chocolate _pot de crème_ that he had to begrudgingly admit was really good. His cheeks hurt from smiling, his voice was feeling a little rough from talking and laughing, and he was frankly surprised at how easy it had been just letting the conversation happen; how joking with Kravitz felt like it did when he joked with Lup and Barry, or Mags and Jules, or Merle and Dav.

It just felt Right.

But now what? Kravitz hadn’t made any mention of what was going to happen after dinner. Was the evening over? Was he just going to take Taako home? Is that how nights ended when people were “taking it slow”? Did he have to wait a bunch more days until they got their schedule sorted before he’d get to see him again?

That was absolutely not what he wanted.

“I’m having a really nice time with you, Taako,” Kravitz said as he discretely paid the bill.

“Having a good time too, stud.” He licked his lips.

He knew what he wanted.

“So, you gonna take me back to your place or what?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: No disrespect was meant with any disparaging remarks about orchestra. The author was always in orchestra, and knows from experience that there is nothing nerdier than going to orchestra camp... (the author will not divulge how many they went to).


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys go back to Kravitz's place and get intimate. But emotions and and the past are not easily escaped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that this fic is now marked as "Explicit". This chapter is also where the "angst" tag first starts to really come into play. Take care if these are triggers for you.  
> Thank you SO MUCH to all the wonderful people who have commented and given kudos! It means the world to me and helps me through various bouts of writer's block!

“So, you gonna take me back to your place or what?” Taako had asked, and Kravitz felt his heartrate spike.

“I…” He spluttered a bit. It _had_ been a very nice evening, and if they counted the night at the club, it could technically be considered their third date, and he was  _very much_  into Taako. “Yes, of course. If that’s what you want.”

Taako’s eyes were half-lidded. “I want.”

Well. It wasn’t exactly how he’d planned on the evening progressing. He’d thought about suggesting a walk through McElroy Park; it really was stunning at night, especially when the moon was this close to full. The early-spring weather was still chilly, too, so they’d need to cuddle up together to keep warm. He could wrap his arm around Taako. Pull him in close…

Or, he’d considered that they might share another glass of wine in an out-of-the-way booth at Kathryn’s for their jazz night. Sides pressed together, Taako’s head maybe falling to his shoulder. Hands idly tracing patterns on each other’s thighs, higher and higher, until it became apparent that they weren’t really listening to the music anymore…

And, yes, he’d been hoping for a chance to be intimate, but he’d thought there would be something in between? Some buffer where he could get his thoughts together? Going right to his place had all sorts of implications, and while he was definitely interested, he hadn’t quite expected it so soon.

All things considered, he supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised.

The drive to his place was quiet but not uncomfortably so; just that the background hum of anticipation made conversation an unnecessary element. When they arrived, he opened the car door for Taako again, who at least seemed to expect it this time. To his absolute delight, the lovely man entwined their fingers as they walked towards the elevator.

“So, I have to warn you.” Kravitz finally broke the silence. “Persephone is usually pretty shy, but she’s going to take one look at your outfit and make it her mission to get as much hair on it as possible.”

A pause, then a sudden and explosive laugh burst out of his date. “Oh, dude. It took me a minute to realize you were talking about your _cat_.”

He did his best to put on his most sincere expression, but felt it breaking under the strain. “Cat? No, ‘Seph’s my wife. It’s a whole Jane Eyre thing up in here. I hope that’s all right.”

Taako gave him a playful nudge with his elbow. “First: That would be just my luck, and Second: _Nerd_.”

Giving a grin, he squeezed Taako’s hand. “But you knew what I was talking about, so I think that would also make _you_ one.”

Scrunching his face, Taako bumped their hips. “OK. So you got me: I’m a lit nerd. Still wasn’t in _orchestra_ , though.”

The elevator doors slowly closed, and as soon as they did, Taako gave him another shove. Kravitz’s back was pressed up against the elevator wall, and suddenly he had his arms full of wriggling, amorous man, stealing his breath with heated kisses. He spared a brief thought to the fact that the elevator almost always stopped at the first floor for people going up from the lobby, and that they might have company in a second, but as Taako’s fingers threaded through his dreads and pulled, he found any concern was quickly stripped away.

By the time they arrived at his floor, he’d become so lost in sensation that he honestly wasn’t sure whether anyone had gotten on the elevator with them or not.

“So, I’m preparing myself for something like Disney’s Haunted Mansion,” Taako said, pulling away and stepping off the elevator as though he hadn’t just spent the whole ride up kissing Kravitz within an inch of his life.

“I wish,” he said, just a little out of breath. “I’d just about kill for those elongating portraits at the beginning.”

He unlocked the door to his place, took a deep breath, and turned on the light. He busied himself with removing his shoes but watched the other man’s reaction out of the corner of his eye.

His guest didn’t take off his heels, but sure, that was fine. Kravitz hadn’t said anything about his “no-shoes” policy, and he could clean the regrettably cream colored carpet this week some time. Taako slipped his long, white coat off and flung it onto the back of a chair, then put his purse on the coffee table.

And sure enough, Persephone was already running over to Taako and rubbing against the pristine white fabric covering his legs.

“’Seph!” Kravitz admonished, but she was a cat so there wasn’t really any point. She was going to do whatever she wanted no matter what he said.

“Oh, who’s a pretty girl?” Taako said, bending over and picking her up — and to Kravitz’s immense surprise she just… took it. Usually she ran from new people, hissed at the folks who’d been by a few times, and then moved on to general disregard once someone became a more-or-less permanent fixture. She still batted at Brian, for Pete’s sake. And it was only after they’d been together for over a year that she had tolerated Kea…

He stopped that thought right there.

“She usually doesn’t let people touch her, let alone pick her up.”

Grinning widely, Taako gave him a wink. “Well, she obviously has discerning taste.”

Kravitz walked over to them and gave her a scritch under the chin. Damn: she was even purring. This was not, (he tried to convince himself), a sign, but he looked at Taako, who was looking back at him, and there was this flash of something warm in his chest that he swore he saw mirrored in Taako’s eyes and…

Taako stepped back, draping ‘Seph over his shoulder like a stole as he began to assess the apartment. “So, about as much black as I was picturing, but not as gloomy as I thought,” he said, walking around. “But this? This is the gayest piano I’ve ever seen.”

He couldn’t help it; he totally snorted. “I’ve never heard a harpsichord described that way, but I suppose you’re not wrong,” he said, joining Taako. “This isn’t even one of the really flamboyant ones. You should see the harpsichords with the pastoral paintings all over them.”

“Huh.” He ran a fingertip across the shiny black lacquer. “You’ll have to play for me some time. But not now.” He gave a crooked smile and bit his lip. “You got anything to drink up in here?”

“I have some wine.”

“Sounds good, babe. Wine me up. Rosé if you got it.”

He turned to the kitchen-area, busying himself with uncorking a decent bottle of Tavel rosé, letting it breathe for a moment before he poured some into his favorite glasses. He turned back around, glasses in hand, and almost dropped them immediately.

Taako was splayed along the length of his couch, one arm seductively crooked behind his head. He was giving Kravitz one of the most heated, knee-jellying glances he’d ever received. “Hey, stud.”

“Hey,” he said, his voice more broken than he’d intended.

“You gonna just stand there, or ya gonna join ol’ Taako?”

He walked over and handed his date the glass, not entirely sure where he should sit, but eventually Taako sat up enough to give him a bit of room to squeeze onto the couch.

Taako clinked their glasses, then downed the whole thing in one go. “So, I like your digs, even with the super-goth vibe.”

“Thanks,” he said, not _downing_ all of his wine, but definitely taking a larger drink than he would have normally. “Can I get you some more?”

"Later.” He took the glass out of Kravitz’s hand and put it on the coffee table, then in one gliding movement he was seated right on top of him. “Right now I’m thirsty for something else.”

God. He’d thought about almost this exact situation, but nothing in his imaginings came close to actually holding Taako in his lap: taking in deep breaths of the warm-citrus scent of his hair, tasting the intoxicating combination of wine and the other man’s lip gloss on the tip of his tongue, allowing his hands to press into the sweet, soft flesh pushing him down into the couch cushions, and feeling Taako wiggle against him, hands busy and distracting and seemingly everywhere at once.

He could have stayed there all night, just luxuriating in the other man’s presence. And it had probably been longer than he thought, but before he was ready, Taako was pulling back, licking kiss-bruised lips.

“So, Kravvy, you wanna be a good little bottom for ol’ Taako tonight?” He was rubbing a very distracting hand against the straining front of Kravitz’s pants.

Oh. Shit. The back of his head hit the couch. If he’d thought he was turned on before, he realized he’d been wrong. Still: "Taako, when I said I wasn't expecting to bring you here tonight, I wasn't kidding.”

"Seriously?"

"Well, yes. And, it’s, well, honestly it’s been a while since I... had company."

His date chuckled. "Don’t worry, sweet cheeks.” Taako leaned in and his breath caressed Kravitz’s ear. “I’ll open you up nice and slooow."

"No… I mean, yes, that would be appreciated, but well, I'm not exactly _prepared_."

Taako leaned back, eyes full of confusion. "Huh?"

He sighed. "I don't have any condoms."

Taako snickered. "Oh. _So_ not a problem." He turned around, grabbed his purse, and started digging around in it. But as he continued to rifle through its contents, he stopped wiggling his amazing, glorious butt in Kravitz’s face and sat instead, his motions becoming more frantic. After a few moments, he upended the whole thing on the coffee table. Lipsticks and lip gloss and perfume and makeup all came crashing against the glass surface as Taako frantically searched through the contents.

"Where's my coin purse?!"

Kravitz’s mind was still at least three steps back from lack of blood to his brain. "Coin purse?"

"My _sexy_ coin purse. The coin purse where I keep my lube and condoms." He looked up with a furious expression on his face. "Oh. You know what? I bet Lup took it! Arg! She and Barry are monogamous for fuck’s sake and it’s not like she can get pregnant! That selfish... uh!" He gave a frustrated groan. 

Kravitz tried not to laugh. He really did. But he failed. Taako's outrage and expression were just too hilarious.

"Oh, you think it’s funny, huh?" Taako asked, turning his ire on him.

"I mean, a little?"

Taako glared at him, but his lips started to twitch and then he was laughing, too. "Yeah, well, Taako doesn't go to bonetown without protection, so we'll see who's laughing when you have blue balls."

Kravitz held up an apologetic hand. "All right. Look. There's a drugstore around the corner. I'll go in a little while. After," he cast a glance down at the tented front of his pants. "Well, when things have calmed down a bit.”

Taako seemed to consider, then moved back onto Kravitz’s lap, pressing his nose amongst his dreadlocks and placing a hand back on the straining zipper. "You know what’ll help with that?"

Kravitz cleared his throat. “Uh, exactly the opposite of what you’re doing?”

The squeeze of Taako's grip around his length made him buck. “Hm. Well, fair. But there are other fun things we can do that don’t necessitate using a condom.” He tilted his head towards the hallway. “I’m assuming your bedroom is that way?”

“Yeah.”

His place wasn’t huge, but his bedroom was large enough to fit his king-sized bed with room to spare around the perimeter. As they entered, he turned on the lights, but Taako gave a distressed look.

“Those are some bright-ass lights, thug. Maybe we can keep it dark?”

It totally surprised him that Taako wouldn’t want to be seen. “Do you mind if I at least turn on a lamp? I’d really like to see you.”

There was a pause, then a moody. “Fine.”

He turned on the bedside lamp and saw Taako’s nose wrinkle.

“My bedroom isn’t _that_ bad,” Kravitz said.

“Well, it’s about as much black as I expected. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, huh?”

“I suppose I’m a bit predictable.”

Head titled up, Taako’s eyes had gone just a little hazy. “Like a show I’ve already seen a buncha times, m’dude.”

Kravitz leaned in, intending to keep the kiss soft and sweet for a while, but Taako had other plans. Deft hands were pushing off his blazer and tossing it to the floor.  His Windsor knot was dispatched, and he felt nimble fingers making quick work of his waistcoat buttons. His shirt was suddenly gone, and then he felt a puff of air against his face from a surprised little gasp as Taako’s thumbs rubbed his chest.

His date pulled back, eyes wide. “Whoa.”

Taako was tracing the outline of the raven tattoos on his pecs, and he felt himself flush at the wide-eyed hunger Taako wore as he surveyed him.

“I guess I didn’t mention that I have some ink,” he said.

“Um, no, you didn’t. And, might I say, baller. But honestly? I’m just generally _all about this_ ,” he said, his hands running down Kravitz’s chest and over his abs. “This? This is nice.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

“Uh, yeah. Super hot.”

“Now it’s my turn,” he said, finding the zipper at the back of Taako’s jumpsuit, but Taako wiggled out of his grasp.

“Well, how ‘bout we get you undressed first?”

“Taako,” he said, turning his chin to face him. “Something’s wrong. What is it?”

Looking away, Taako’s face was scrunched up. “Nothing, homie, just figured: you put that much work into your bod, you’d wanna give me a little show, huh?

“Taako.”

Taako glared back at him. “Look, I’m hot as fuck, right?”

“Absolutely,” he said with complete honesty.

“But, we look pretty different, yeah? And, uh, maybe I don’t normally care? Like, usually I don’t give a shit what a dude thinks, right? Anyone’s lucky to be with Taako! But…” His jaw was set in a tight line. “I guess I’m just more used to fucking in the dark, OK?”

He took Taako’s hand and placed the palm against the front of his pants. “Feel this?”

Taako gave him a squeeze and bit his lip. “Yeah,” he said, his voice breathy.

“That’s because of you.”

“Well,” Taako snorted. “Natch.”

“And I can promise you, as gorgeous as I think you look in this outfit, I guarantee I’m going to adore seeing you out of it even more.”

Lips pursed and brow furrowed, he thought Taako might outright deny him, but finally he nodded and turned around. “OK. Unzip me.”

He gently ran his hands down Taako’s shoulders, then began undoing the zipper, pressing his lips to charmingly freckled skin. He lowered the jumpsuit’s strap, pulling the rest of the garment down, and as he did so, he kneeled.

“Oh, wow.”

Taako turned around quickly, a look of distress slowly shifting when he saw Kravitz’s expression. “Wow?”

Kravitz cleared his throat. The white lace thong, the garter belt, the connected thigh-high stockings, and that brief glimpse he’d gotten of Taako’s big, beautiful behind left his mouth parched and more than a little dazed… but he eventually managed eye-contact. “Uh… yeah.” He cleared his throat again. “Yes. Definitely wow.”

Taako still didn’t look totally convinced. “You better not just be saying that.”

He couldn’t process Taako’s discomfort. He was gorgeous. Warm brown skin freckled in various places, and the delightful soft plumpness on his tummy and thighs made Kravitz’s hands itch to caress and kiss each little dimple and curve.

“You’re stunning.”

His nose wrinkled, which in itself was adorable. “Even with these?” he asked, pointing at his hips.

It still didn’t compute. “Your hips?”

Taako grumbled, taking Kravitz’s hand and placing his index finger on a little indentation in his skin. “These.”

Running his fingertip across the softer, slightly puckered skin, Kravitz was having a hard time understanding. _This_ was what Taako was so worried about? And granted, not like he was one to judge a person’s insecurities — he certainly had his own — but he couldn’t believe Taako would be worried about something so inconsequential. Of course, he knew there must be a reason, but…

Well, it didn’t feel like the right time to talk about it, especially with how keyed up they both were, so instead he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the stretch mark, then did the same to the one next to it, and the one next to that one, too. He rubbed his cheek against the ones on his soft belly, nearly imploding with the desire to press his face up to the erection straining against the lace panties… but there would be time for that later, too. Right now, reassuring Taako had to be his first priority.

After he’d finished kissing the last marks on the other hip, he heard a small whimper above him and then, with surprising strength, the man pulled him up and pushed him onto the bed. Taako kicked the romper off his legs and pounced, kissing him with a fervency that he felt might consume him.

He loved Taako’s weight on top of him, loved the feel of his incredibly soft skin and the vibrating energy he gave off. 

Before he knew it, his pants were somehow gone, and Taako was straddling him and kissing him breathless. Breaking the kiss, Taako sat up, pushing Kravitz back down onto the bed when he tried to follow his lips. “So, uh, you’re clean, right? Like, your blood?”

Kravitz’s brain was not really working all that well, but he managed to reply. “Yes.”

“Cool. Coolcoolcool,” Taako said, absentmindedly. “Cha’boy is clean, too.” He bit his lip. “So, like I said, Taako doesn’t fuck unprotected, but, uh, you got an objections to me sucking you off?”

“Uh, no.” He voice broke and he had to clear his throat. “That is: no objections.”

“Cool.”

He scooched back and started to pull down Kravitz’s boxer briefs.

“Hey, Taako, wait.” The look he received was scathing, but Kravitz persevered. “Before you, uh, start, I was thinking you might turn around so I could…” He offered what he hoped was a seductive smile. “…return the favor?”

The grin he got back was Cheshire-cat-big, “OoOO, the ol’ “27” huh?”

“What?”

Taako laughed. “Bit of an inside joke. I’ll tell you later, but, for now…” He got up to kneeling and started to undo the garter belt.

“Couldn’t you leave those on?”

“Oh, you like these?” he sing-songed.

“Very much.”

He looked so incredibly smug. “Yeah, well, figured you probably would with your whole out-of-date clothing shtick. But I gotta at least unsnap ‘em to take the panties off.”

“Or we could just push them to the side?”

“Ooh. Look at you, eager boy!” He leaned over and breathed into Kravitz’s ear. “I guess you solved my panties puzzle.”

He was already harder than he could remember being, but watching as Taako made a big show of pushing the thin gusset of the panties to the side and letting his cock bounce free was maybe the hottest thing Kravitz had ever seen. He didn’t dare touch himself, but he managed to shuck off his boxers and toss them aside.

“Mmm. I figured you were packing, but boy howdy, that sure is nice,” Taako said, dragging a lazy hand up his own dick with dilated eyes fixed on Kravitz’s. He bit his lip as he crawled further up the bed. “Gonna love choking on that in a minute,” he said, which in turn made Kravitz choke a bit himself.

The man was an absolute vision: the way the white lace contrasted with his bronze skin; the sultry smile and half-lidded eyes that gazed down at him as though he owned him; the thick cock bobbing in front of his nose, thick and cut and perfect. Tentatively, Kravitz reached out and ran his thumbs along the straps of the garter belt, moving to trace his fingernails up the stocking-clad legs and then rubbing where the hosiery indented around Taako’s voluptuous thighs.

“Shoulda known you’d be a fucking tease,” Taako said, his voice breathy.

“Just taking a moment to appreciate you.”

Taako rolled his eyes, running a fingertip against his lips. “I can think of other ways for you to show your appreciation.”

He gave a low chuckle, finally giving in and running his thumb under the head of Taako’s dick. “Something like this?”

The groan that came from Taako combined frustration with lust. “Getting warmer but still teasing.”

“Well, let’s fix that, hm?” He wrapped his hands around those sweet hips and pulled him close, Taako almost stumbling with the sudden movement but managing to catch himself and straddle his chest. He looked up to see Taako’s eyes dilated and hungry, fixed on him with rapt attention. He bent his neck and rubbed his cheek against the length before placing kisses along the underside.

“Krav!” Taako’s voice was rough. “Come on, babe, you’re killin’ me here.”

He gave one last chuckle before running his tongue over him to get him nice and wet. The breathy moans coming from above him were so sexy and he could feel his own cock drip as he sealed his lips.

Fuck.

It had been so long since he’d had a cock in his mouth, and he hadn’t fully realized how much he’d missed it. Pressing his tongue against firm, smooth flesh. The slight burn in his jaw. The way the head hit the roof of his mouth and slid deeper. The incomprehensibly addictive sensation of almost choking but also wanting more. He delighted in hearing Taako’s “oh fuck”s and “Goddamn, baby”s and occasionally a “Krav” or “Kravvy”.

He’d never heard his name sound so intoxicatingly dirty.

“Whoa, babe,” Taako said after a while, pulling back. “I don’t blame you for wanting a taste of Taako, but this was supposed to be a mutual thing.” He shifted until he was facing the opposite direction.

Kravitz put a hand on his hip.

“Wait a minute,” he said.

“Everything OK?”

He gave a deep exhalation. How could he tell Taako that seeing the man’s plump, gorgeous ass up close and personal was almost enough to unman him alone? Taako hadn’t even really touched him yet, and, sure, it had been a long time since he’d been with someone, but coming just from seeing a beautiful, thicc behind was some seriously middle-school bullshit right there.

“Yeah,” he finally managed, placing his hands reverentially on Taako’s hips and squeezing his cheeks together into a perfect peach. “Just need a moment.” He pulled his hands apart, hooking a thumb in the back of the thong and moving it aside, and the wave of lust that swept over him left him lightheaded as the little pucker winked at him.

God, he wanted him so bad. Wanted Taako to sit down and ride his tongue into the proverbial sunset.

But that was probably a bit too much too soon, he supposed. “OK, come on back,” he said, closing his eyes to limit the visual stimulation.

Which might have been a bad idea, since the unexpected feeling of Taako’s mouth on him nearly jolted him off the bed.

If he’d thought he’d missed _sucking_ cock, he now remembered how much he enjoyed getting sucked off, too. He wrapped his lips around Taako again, groaning around his own mouthful. Trying to keep his hips from thrusting up.

Damn. It really had been a long time. It was so good. The excitement swirling low in his belly, building as Taako went to work.

After an embarrassingly short span of minutes, he pulled his mouth off just enough to be able to speak. “I’m really close,” he managed to say, and then suddenly Taako was shimmying down and around. A desperate and confused whimper escaped Kravitz, but Taako just shook his head. “Wanna watch you come, homie,” he said, lowering his head but directing his glance up and staring into Kravitz’s eyes.

The heat. The suction. The seductive look. He tried to hold off but it was no use. Kravitz felt every muscle in his body shake as Taako’s throat squeezed around him. He came with a moan that he had no doubt everyone throughout the building heard.

Finally managing to fumble his way back to clarity, he opened his eyes to see Taako was watching him. The lick he gave to his reddened lips was very obviously theatrical, but it still made Kravitz groan.

“God, Taako…”

“You think I’m a god _now_ , just wait until I’m plowing that ass of yours.”

His head fell back onto the pillows again.

“So, uh, Kravvy?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking back up, only to see Taako stroking himself. “Oh, shit, sorry. If you want…”

“I already know exactly what I want, baby. Wanna come on that six pack you’re rockin’. That cool?”

Oh god. “Yes.”

“Keep lookin’ at me,” he ordered, and Kravitz felt his stomach flip. If he hadn’t just had the life practically sucked out of him, he’d have been standing at attention again watching the man’s expression haze over as his orgasm approached. One, two, three pumps and then come splattered against his stomach, making him twitch.

Collapsing next to him, spent, Taako lazily flopped so that they were sharing the same pillow.

"Mmm," came a satisfied purr in his ear, and then teeth nibbled on the side of his neck. "That was real good, Krav,” Taako said, swirling a finger through the ejaculate cooling on his stomach. Kravitz gently wrapped his hand around Taako’s wrist and brought his fingers to his lips, licking them clean.

This time, Taako was the one doing the groaning, and the turnaround felt fantastic.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * 

Nice.

Yeah. OK. It was nice. The way they managed to fit together like puzzle pieces in Kravitz’s big-ass bed. The gentle fingers running through his hair. The occasional soft kisses pressed to his forehead or the silly nibbly ones on his eyebrow.

It was all really nice.

Maybe the nicest thing ever.

Taako’s “nice cup” overfloweth.

But if there was on thing his life had taught him, it was that Taako sure as fuck should never trust _nice_.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like it. Shit. He thought it was pretty much the most amazing thing ever. But he’d had decades of the world telling him he didn’t deserve anything nice, that anything decent that happened to him would be taken away, and as had happened a lot recently, there were some gears jamming up in his head trying to reconcile the decades of hard lessons he’d endured with the sweetness of the man pressed next to him.

He cleared his throat. “So, uh, you said there’s a drugstore close by?”

The rumbling laugh Kravitz gave reverberated through him. “Yeah.” The dude next to him rolled onto his side to face him, running feather-light fingers down his chest and stomach and then giving soft attention to his cock. “You want me to go now?”

“Uh, no time like the present, right, homes?”

Another laugh. “ _Carpe diem_ , huh?” He moved his hand to squeeze Taako’s ass. “I think I prefer _carpe derriere_.”

He rolled his eyes. “First off: super cheesy. Second: that is absolutely not the word for ass in Latin. Thirdly: if you want _your_ _derriere_ to get any attention, you’d best be getting to that drugstore pronto.”

“All right, all right, I’m getting up.”

As Kravitz moved around the room, Taako stared at the ceiling and concentrated on his breath. After a while, he felt the bed dip and he looked over.

No longer in his immaculate suit, Kravitz was in a similar form-fitting athletic shirt to the one that he’d worn in the picture from the other day, and it was still very much appreciated by Taako’s reviving libido. Even more appreciated, though, was the glass of wine Kravitz was holding out to him in one hand, and a glass of water in the other.

“It shouldn’t take me long. Can I get you anything?”

Taako scooched up to press his back against the headboard, taking a drink of water and following it with some wine. “Nah. I’ll just, uh, be right here. Yeah?”

Kravitz leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek, gave a dopey smile, and then headed out of the room.

As soon as he heard the front door close, Taako was out of the bed and pulling on his jumpsuit. He wasn’t sure how long Kravitz would be gone, and he sure as hell didn’t know what he was looking for, but there was no way this guy was as perfect as he seemed. Somewhere there was a skeleton in his closet. Something that would explain everything. Something that would put an end to this ridiculous, feel-good fantasy that Taako was stupidly falling for like an _idiot_.

Growing up, he and Lup had learned pretty damn quick that appearances were usually not to be trusted. People could act all nice and sweet in front of the social worker. They could put on happy faces for a while. But more often than not, the bigger the smile, the darker the reality, so he and his twin had figured out to thoroughly investigate each new place they ended up in. There were always clues to be found about what kind of shit show they’d ended up in. By seeking out as much info about people as possible, they could maybe protect themselves from something horrible in the future.

It had been a matter of survival.

He looked around and sucked his teeth. He probably should start with the bedroom, but the thought of having the bed they’d just shared staring at him while he tore the place apart made him feel itchy. Instead, he went into the living area. It seemed to hold the most of Kravitz’s energy, anyway. He was pretty sure it was where he’d find whatever dirty secret Kravitz must surely be hiding, and he could always snoop in the bedroom afterwards if he didn’t find anything in the main area.

The largest item of furniture beside the harpsichord and couch was a floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelf along one entire wall. He went there immediately, running his eyes over each nook and cranny. One shelf held only framed photos: a picture of Kravitz with his arm around the shoulders of an older woman whose long hair was braided with bright-patterned cloth; both of them wearing somber outfits but with genuine smiles on their faces. Another picture had Kravitz and Brian at some restaurant; Kravitz rolling his eyes, while next to him — margarita in one hand and obviously holding the camera in the other — Brian wore an enormous sombrero and a ridiculous grin.

A few other pictures, some knickknacks, two shelves crowded with vinyl records with a lot of classical but also a good selection of funk and rock and a few punk albums mixed in.

One corner of Taako’s lips quirked up in spite of himself; this condensed glimpse into Kravitz’s life and personality, at how sweet and adorable he appeared, gave him a little twinge in his stomach.

He refused to look at the feeling too closely.

He kept searching. Then, on the bottom self, buried amongst a collection of books, was a suspiciously non-descript leather folio that his eyes focused on instinctively. Pulling it out, he was surprised that the cover appeared to be some sort of report, with “To: Keats Aubuchon” and “A proposition” underneath.

This. This was it. This had to be the dirty secret. Perhaps “Keats Aubuchon” was an alias under which Kravitz did horrible things? Like, he’d open this folio and he’d see like, dead bodies or something. Or maybe it would be like a collection of some nasty-ass porn that Kravitz starred in… like, weird tentacle shit — which wasn’t _necessarily_ a dealbreaker, but…

He opened the cover, and the first tabbed page simply had “Exhibit A: You Make Me So Happy” and following was page after page of pictures of Kravitz and some super-built dude looking totally, ridiculously in love. In Mickey Mouse ear hats in front of the Epcot golf ball. In morning suits at the fine arts center. At an outdoor café sipping mimosas…

He flipped to the next section: “Exhibit B: I Make You So Happy” And these photos were less “proper” than the first exhibit: nothing too explicit, but not the kind of photos that one would show to family members. They were predominantly selfies of the two kissing, with a few shots that were obviously taken with the two of them in bed, hair mussed, and with various states of satisfied expressions tingeing their eyes.

Not usually opposed to a little voyeurism, Taako still found himself skipping pages until he came to “Exhibit C: We’re Great Together”. To his surprise, there was only one picture: two feet, with a yin-yang tattooed across them to make a perfect whole. Above it, a space where the rest of the pages had been hollowed out, and in the center of the space was a ring tied with a black satin ribbon; the words “Will you marry me?” written below.

He nearly dropped the book when he heard the key in the door, and scrambled to put the folio back where he’d found it. He stood up and moved quickly in the direction of the couch.

“Hey,” Kravitz said, a look of surprise on his face as he observed Taako’s clothed body. “Is everything OK?”

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s cool for old Taako,” he said, refilling his purse from where he’d dumped it out earlier and grabbing his coat. “But change in plans. I gotta get going,” he said, resolutely ignoring how hot Kravitz looked in his tight athletic gear holding a plastic bag that he knew probably held a big box of condoms that they could definitely put to good use, if…

Kravitz looked like he’d been punched. “Going?”

Taako absolutely _did not care_ how hurt the guy sounded. “Yeah, you know. It’s been nice. But it’s like, super late.”

“I thought I might be able to convince you to stay.”

“No can do. This dude’s got to skedaddle.” And Taako REALLY didn’t want to care, but the heartbroken look on Kravitz’s face made him pause. “Um, I’ll text, yeah?”

“Taako. Please. Just tell me. What did I do?”

“Nah, bro, everything’s cool.” He patted Kravitz’s chest lightly on the way out the door. “See ya.”

He pulled the door closed and leaned against it for just a moment. He didn’t _want_ to leave. He could probably still play if off as some kind of a joke. _“Just kidding,”_ he’d say, “ _Damn, thug, you shoulda seen your face!”_

But he didn’t. He walked to the elevator, pulling his phone out of his purse, and hitting “call” as soon as he was outside.

“Yo, Mags, can you come pick me up?

“Taako? What’s up? Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Peachy. I just need a ride. I’m…” he looked around. He hadn’t been paying too close of attention when they were driving here, but after a moment he got his bearings. “Do you know where McElroy park is?”

“Yeah? Is that where you are?” He could hear Julia’s sleepy voice mumbling in the background.

“Uh-huh.”

His friend’s voice was thick with apprehension, even though he didn’t say anything. “I’ll be right there.”

Thankfully, since Magnus was all about action, it meant that he wasted no time in picking Taako up. Dude hadn’t even bothered putting a shirt on, just had a jacket over his pajama pants as he walked over to where Taako was leaning against a tree.

“Hey, so, are we going home? Or …” _Do you need to go to the hospital?_ or _Do you need to go to the police station?_ were the unspoken continuations of his question. “…anywhere else?” he finished lamely.

“Home is fine.”

The walk to Magnus’ car was silent, and when they got in, the silence continued. Taako didn’t want to talk about it, and he knew Mags _knew_ he didn’t want to talk about it, but at the same time, the anxious energy radiating off the big dude was palpable, and finally he broke down. “Look, you don’t gotta give me details, but you _do_ gotta tell me if I need to put a hurt on this guy.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“But if he hurt you…?”

“He didn’t hurt me.” Taako looked out the window.

“Then what happened? ‘Cause right now my mind is coming up with all sorts of scenarios and each one of them is making me angrier than the last.”

“He didn’t do anything, all right?” he practically yelled. God! Why did Mags have to push?! Asking Taako what happened was forcing _Taako_ to ask what had happened, too. And he just couldn’t deal with it.

The night had been perfect. Kravitz was fun to talk to. He had made a bunch of stupidly romantic gestures. He’d given as good, certainly, as he got and Taako was def left wanting more.

And after going through his shit, the worst thing about him that Taako could find — the part that had made Taako turn tail and run — was proof that they guy had been in love once. That he’d had a committed relationship. That he was _husband material._

It was stupid and Taako felt like an idiot. And he hated it.

But seeing those pictures? Seeing that Kravitz had been so happy with some hot GQ-model motherfucker? Getting repeated confirmation that Kravitz, for some incomprehensible reason, actually seemed to like Taako and was capable of having a _relationship_? Seeing Kravitz’s place and seeing how together the guy’s life was?

Taako was a hot fucking mess — hot in terms of attractiveness, of course, du’h — but also in the way that he totally didn’t have his shit together.

What the fuck? There was no way Kravitz would put up with his bullshit for long. He knew from a lifetime of experience that the whole thing would end up a disaster and the best thing he could do was to cut it off now.

“Then what happened?” Magnus asked, his tone so gentle it almost made Taako cry.

“Look, it just wasn’t going to work out, all right? I decided I needed to jet before it went any further.”

A beat of silence and then Magnus sighed. “Ohhh,” he said, as though he’d just fitted the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle. “I get it. So, he was a nice guy and you got scared.”

Taako snarled. “Fuck you.”

“OK, ‘Ko. No problem. Get angry at me. Get angry at this guy. And then tomorrow you can find some random jerk to fuck, and things can go back to how they always are.”

Taako. Would. Not. Cry. “Like you fucking know _anything_ about it.”

“Nah, I’ve only known you for what feels like a hundred years, man. No way I could possibly get it.” They drove in silence for a while, then Magnus looked at him from the corner of his eye. The shift in his energy was immediate. “Oh, no, Taak. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

He sniffled. “‘M not crying.”

Magnus reached a hand over to his shoulder. “No, I know you’re not, bud. Sorry,” he said, and the gentleness of his tone just made the stinging in Taako’s eyes hurt even more. Then he was pulling the car over to the side of the road. “But, like, can I give you a hug anyway?”

God. Of course Magnus wanted to hug it out. Big idiot. But… “Yeah, all right. Whatever rocks your socks, dude.”

And then he was being crushed in an awkward, sideways car-hug until he felt like he was going to pass out from lack of oxygen. “Mags, buddy, gotta breathe,” he squeaked.

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” Magnus said, shifting back into his seat and starting the car driving towards home again. “So, probably not the best time to ask, but did he really bring you those flowers?”

He sighed. “Yeah.”

“Merle said they were nice.”

“Oh, God, he fucked ‘em, didn’t he?”

Mags grimaced. “No. Or, at least, not that I saw. He just said it was like, a really expensive bouquet and that the guy knew a thing or two about flowers.” Magnus paused. “Said the dude seemed pretty nice. That he kinda gave off a nerdy, Hot-Topic-Goth vibe, but that he seemed all right.”

“Oh. Yeah. I guess.” He looked back out the window. “You know Merle probably fucked those flowers,” he muttered.

Magnus gave a snort. “Yeah, probably.

“Asshole.”

\- - -

A sleepless night dissolved into morning, but Taako made his way to the community center anyway.

“I didn’t expect to see you, Taako,” came a familiar Icelandic lilt from behind him.

Taako looked up from where he was messing with his phone while he waited for class to start. He felt that familiar sense of foreboding, but played it cool. “Not sure why. I never skip Sundays unless I’m working.”

Paloma, the instructor, raised her eyebrow with a knowing smile. “Ah, but something told me _this_ Sunday would be one of those rare times you missed,” she said.

He’d been friends with Paloma for years, and she was the closest thing to a therapist his broke ass could manage. And even though her psychic abilities had unnerved him at first— even with his own background in metaphysical shit, he’d never actually met someone with as powerful a gift as she had — over time he’d just come to expect her knowing pretty much everything.

Her prescience this morning, though, was not welcome.

“Your antenna must be out of tune, babe. Nothing to stop ol’ Taako from being here.”

She looked completely unconvinced but just shrugged. “Kathryn’s after class?”

He debated telling her he had shit to do, but that would definitely be suspicious. They always went to Kathryn’s on Sundays. “Um, yeah. Geez, you really are out of it today if you have to ask.”

She gave a snort and headed up to the front of the class as other students trickled in. Monday’s and Wednesday’s classes were always packed and high energy, but Sundays were his favorite because Paloma didn’t have a class afterwards and it gave them a chance to catch up.

The first few notes of music started playing over the loudspeakers and he hopped to his feet, eager to be able to tune out for the next hour.

Straight up, Taako would be the first to admit that he was lazy. He was perfectly happy lounging around, goofing off, and just generally not doing anything of any real importance. He also liked to eat — preferably things that were terrible for him — with a tendency to overindulge that could no doubt be traced back to all the lean years when he and Lup had been in less-than-ideal situations and food was scarce.

Unfortunately, his natural laziness and love of delicious food had consequences.

He didn’t like to think about it, and he _definitely_ didn’t talk about it, but… well… he’d been a fat kid. It was just, there had been plenty of times when he and Lup were growing up that there wasn’t enough to eat, so whenever they _had_ landed at households that were more-or-less stable, he’d usually make up for lost time in the old food department.

And, when he’d found out he was a baller cook? That certainly hadn’t helped matters, either.

But then he’d hit high school, and his weight started to bother him (he absolutely would _not_ think about the remarks his crush had made that had signaled the beginning of his weight worries, nor the horrible things that incestuous asshole he’d met a few months before had said to him). And like, yeah, his BMI was still a bit high, and a few body and eating issues lingered, but for the most part he’d worked through the worst of it. Now, he tried a bit harder to be more conscious about portions, and even though he would deny he did any exercise, (because ew, sweating was _gross_ ), he’d been going to the community center for years now whenever his work schedule allowed for …

“Zumba!” the class yelled in unison as one of the songs ended.

And, he’d never admit it, and he sure as hell didn’t let anyone know he went (except for Lup, because _obviously_ ) but he secretly loved it.

So he and the old ladies at the community center strutted their funky stuff and it was awesome and it meant that for one hour that day he wouldn’t have to think about Kravitz.

Well, not too much, anyway.

Class ended before he knew it, and he was glad it had helped him to get back in his body. But then it was time for Kathryn’s.

Paloma at least had the decency to not start her interrogation while they walked to the coffee shop. Instead, they gossiped about how Cassidy should totally hook up with Isaac, who was basically the only other guy that ever came to Zumba, and they caught up on what was happening on the shows they both enjoyed.

“It better be a cinnamon nib day,” he said after they’d ordered drinks and found a place to sit. She smiled and pulled a scone out of her purse, and Yes! It was _totally_ a cinnamon nib. Man, what would even be the point of being friends with a psychic if they couldn’t even predict what kind of scone he’d be jonesing for?

And yeah, normally it was totally not cool to bring outside food to a coffee shop, but they were regulars, and were friends with pretty much everyone who worked there, so no one gave them crap for it. And while Taako was an amazing chef and baker, when it came to scones, Paloma had a corner on the market.

She carefully cut the pastry in half and they took the first sips of their drinks.

“So, what is his name?”

In spite of his best efforts, he realized his eyes had kept darting to the booth that he and Kravitz had shared, and _of course_ Paloma would immediately pick up on it and reason out the “why”.

Taako drew his attention back to her. He scrunched up his nose. There wasn’t any point in denying it, but still. “If you’re so psychic, shouldn’t you already know?”

“I’ve told you before that it doesn’t work like that.”

He rolled his eyes and took a nibble of scone.

“But he brought you here, yes?”

He felt defensive. “We _met_ here. And it was my idea.”

“What was his order?”

“Plain coffee and coconut milk. You believe that?”

She laughed. “The audacity. Did he at least add something to sweeten it?”

“Yeah,” he said sullenly, as though it was a big admission.

“Well, then he can’t be all bad, can he?”

He snorted and took another bite of scone.

“What is he like?”

“He’s a big fucking nerd.”

“So, like many of your friends, yes?” He looked away. “Why don’t you tell me something about him other than generalizations? What does he do?”

“Like, for a living?”

“Sure.”

“He works at a funeral home.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” He fiddled with a few crumbs. “He seemed kinda embarrassed about it, but it also seemed like maybe he kinda liked it.”

“And what does he do for fun?”

“He writes music.” He rolled his eyes. “And he reads tarot.”

The expression on Paloma’s face lit up. “Does he, now?”

“Yeah. I mean, I guess.”

Her expression was incredulous and thrilled. “You let him do a reading for you, didn’t you?!”

He looked back over at the table he and Kravitz had shared. “A little one.” He rubbed his eyes. “Past: three of swords. Present: two of cups. Future was death. He pulled a clarification card – The Sun.”

“Oh,” she said, eyes wide, then took a long drink of her coffee. “Those are… very powerful cards.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“What did he tell you they meant?”

“I told him I didn’t want to talk about the first one. He looked kinda sick when he turned it over. But of course it was pretty right on the fucking money: betrayal, heartbreak, all that shit.”

She placed a comforting hand over his but didn’t say anything. He’d never have admitted it, but he appreciated the physical contact.

“For the cups, he…” Taako cleared his throat. “So, he said he’d drawn the same card in a reading he’d done for himself that morning.”

“Interesting.” She took a deep breath. “What a coincidence.”

“Yeah, I guess we’re fucking soul mates, huh?”

“I wouldn’t presume to guess. But you know the tarot better than I.”

“I pretended I didn’t.”

“What?”

“When he did the reading, I pretended I didn’t know anything about tarot.”

“Why not?”

He shrugged. “Wanted to see if he knew what the fuck he was talking about.” He broke off some more scone. “It was pretty hilarious how he tried to play it off. ‘It can be any partnership, like business or whatever.’” He mimicked.

Paloma chuckled. “Well, saying that the two of cups indicates a deep, passionate love affair on a first date would have been a bit weird, right?”

“’S’pose so.”

“But it means you probably got some good sex, at least.” Taako choked a little on his scone. It wasn’t like they didn’t talk about their sex lives, but when it was about Kravitz it made him a bit more reticent to delve too deeply into it.

“Yeah, well, the turnip didn’t have any condoms and Lup stole mine so…” He rolled his eyes.

“Seems all the more reason you shouldn’t have been in class today.” She wrapped her hand around his forearm in a comforting gesture. “Why didn’t you stay?”

He couldn’t look at her. “He’s just not for me.”

“Why do you say that?”

He could feel tears stinging his eyes again and he hated it.

“Taako?”

“He’s too good for me, OK?” he spat out, directing his glance anywhere but at her face.

“Oh, Taako.” And now both of her hands were around his, and he felt a wave of calm rush over him. A feeling he couldn’t explain, but that he embraced.

For long moments they breathed together.

Finally, though, he pulled one hand away to wipe a tear that had escaped.

She pushed her untouched half of the scone across the table. “Would you like mine, too?”

His shoulders sagged. “Yes, please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, sorry for typos! And thank you so much for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who is still reading and for every wonderful and treasured comment.  
> I wanted to dip a little into some other POVs - These characters are all so great, I just wanted to explore them all!  
> Again, un-beta'd so apologies for typos!  
> I'm not very good about knowing what things constitute a Trigger Warning, so I apologize if anything is inappropriate. The things that might warrant a TW in this chapter are references to character death/loss of a loved one, and very oblique references to a suicide attempt. Please take care of yourselves.

“Brian?”

From deep within the bottom of his soul, Brian groaned. He had thought they’d established by now that he was _not_ a morning person. And ug! there was no possible way that Klarg should sound that awake after the _activities_ they’d gotten up to the previous night.

“Iz ze place on fire?” he said, face smooshed into the pillow. “Because zat is ze only possible reason you should be vaking me zis early.”

The bed dipped and the distinctive smell of Lapsang Souchong assaulted his sinuses. “Sorry, Bri, but it’s your phone.”

“Did _it_ catch on fire?”

Klarg chuckled quietly. “No. It didn’t catch on fire.” He cleared his throat. “You got a message.”

“It is probably just some bullshit,” he said, trying to bury his head under the pillow.

“It’s from Kravitz.” And that gave Brian pause. Kravitz never tried to contact him before noon. He squinted one eye open at Klarg from under the pillow. “I wasn’t trying to invade your privacy,” Klarg was quick to assure him. “But the message tone was really loud and I didn’t want it to wake you, and I was just trying to turn it down but the lock screen showed it was from him.”

Another groan, and he pulled himself up into something resembling a sitting position. Every muscle in his body ached, and it was _glorious_ , but it would have been more glorious if it weren’t so early in the _Gott verdammt_ morning. “It’s fine.” He cracked his neck and held out his hand for the phone.

“Would you like some tea?” Klarg asked, handing the phone over.

“Yes, but not zat roofing-tar you’re drinking. Some jasmine?”

Klarg kissed his forehead as he stood. “Anything for you, even if you do have unrefined taste in tea.”

Brian snorted, opening his phone as Klarg left for the kitchen.

**BFFKrav: Sorry to text so early. (10:05 AM)**

**BFFKrav: But when you get up, could you let me know? (10:06 AM)**

**BFFKrav: Just having a bit of a tough morning. (10:10 AM)**

Brian inhaled sharply. It had been a while since he’d received one of these texts.

His thumbs moved over the screen. **Are you at home? What is your status? (10:17 AM)** he texted back, his sharp fingernails tapping against the screen in impatience.

The three cycling dots felt like they took forever, but finally: **BFFKrav: Home. Just taking it easy. (10:18 AM)**

Brian felt his jaw tighten. **That wasn’t what I was asking. (10:18 AM)**

**BFFKrav: I haven’t hurt myself [rolling eye emoji] (10:18 AM)**

**Don’t give me [rolling eye emoji] (10:18 AM)**

Again, three cycling dots, then: **BFFKrav: I’m sorry it’s early. I didn’t think my texts would be enough to wake you. (10:19 AM)**

**They wouldn’t have. Klarg woke me. (10:20 AM)**

**BFFKrav: Shit. Sorry Bri. I’m Fine, really. Just, maybe call later? (10:20 AM)**

Brian regretted that Krav couldn’t see his truly elaborate and impressive eye roll. **Don’t be an idiot. I can be there in 30 (10:21 AM)**

Klarg walked into the room and handed him a tea bowl. “Is everything OK?”

“I don’t know.” He offered a chagrinned smile to Klarg. “But I’m going to have to get going after ze tea.”

“Oh,” Klarg said, sitting down next to him. “I was hoping we might spend the day together.”

“I know. I’ll make it up to you, ja?” he said, running his tongue around the uneven lip of the tea bowl and enjoying the way Klarg’s pupils dilated. He took a sip. “ _Mein_ _kleine_ bug-a-bear?”

Klarg gave a rumbling noise and leaned his head against Brian’s shoulder, giving his neck a little nip. “Tomorrow night?”

For the past two weeks, they’d seen each other almost every day, which normally would have freaked Brian out, but after his _initial_ freak out, he was surprised that everything had been going really well and that he actually felt… mostly OK? Like, more at peace with the whole situation than he’d ever felt before? “I zink zat could be arranged.”

Saying goodbye to Klarg seemed to be getting harder each time he did it, but he would think about the implications of that later. Right now he had to be there for Krav.

He was glad it had been one of the evenings they had decided to stay in and that he’d taken his Ducati rather than an Uber. Much easier to run to the grocery store for supplies with his own wheels.

 **Ice cream or cookie situation? (10:59 AM)** he texted Kravitz.

**BFFKrav: Both? (10:59 AM)**

He picked up the bakery-made chocolate chip cookies Kravitz preferred, and then hunted through the frozen section for his favorite brand of cookies ‘n’ cream and Krav’s favorite brand of salted caramel.

“Hey,” Kravitz said as he opened the door, his eyes puffy but dry. “I’m so sorry, Bri. I really didn’t mean to derail your day. It’s not even that bad…”

Brian pushed past him, kicked off his shoes (noticing that there was some dirt on the cream-colored carpet, but he didn’t saying anything), and went into the kitchen area. “You _dummkopf_. Zere is no reason to be sorry.” He grabbed two spoons from the drawer and handed one to Kravitz. “Ze ice cream should be ze perfect level of melted.”

Kravitz’s eyes started to tear up, but he attempted a smile. “Thanks Bri.”

They settled on the couch and ate ice cream for a few minutes in silence. Then Kravitz sighed and let his head hit the back of the couch. “I guess you were right about Taako.”

His eyebrows arched in surprise. “I see.” That had not been what Brian had expected. “So _he_ is ze vone who tracked up your carpet, hm?”

“Yeah.”

They ate some more ice cream. “So, vat happened?”

“I allowed myself to hope.” Kravitz grabbed a cookie and broke it in half. “But I must have said something wrong. Or done something. I don’t know. He just… left.”

“Did you bring up Keats?”

“Of course not.”

“Or play ze harpsichord? You know zat is enough to drive anyvone avay.” Kravitz took a pillow and hit him. Brian laughed and then squeezed Kravitz’s shoulder. “It probably vasn’t anyzing you did.”

Kravitz sighed. “But it _had_ to be something I did. We’d texted so much, and coffee had been really nice. And he _seemed_ to be having a good time.” He put his pint of ice cream down in defeat, pressing the lid back on. “I just thought maybe you were wrong, that maybe it was…” He closed his mouth with a snap and shot Brian a look out of the corner of his eye.

“You zhought zat because it vas _me,_ unt because I’m not into ze hearts unt ze flowers, zat my preferences vere coloring mein advice.”

“Maybe?”

Making up for earlier, he gave another elaborate eye-roll. Putting the cover back on his own ice cream, he grabbed the containers and took them into the kitchen area. “I’m surprised you brought him home after just going for coffee,” he called as he put the ice cream in the freezer.

“I didn’t. Coffee was last week. We had dinner last night _._ ”

“Vait. You had coffee, unt zen you had dinner a _veek_ _later_?”

“Yeah. And it’s not like I planned on bringing him back here. It just felt like things were going really well… I mean, I guess aside from his roommate threatening me with bodily harm if I hurt him.” Kravitz gave an anemic laugh. “Other than that it was great.”

If Brian was surprised before, that last bit brought him up short. “Hiz _roommate_? You met hiz roommate?”

“One of them. The guy looked like if Jerry Garcia and Jimmy Buffet had a weird old baby.” He shrugged. “I didn’t meet the other ones. I guess they were out.”

“Um. Let me just get zis straight: Taako let you pick him up _at hiz place_?”

“Yeah?” Kravitz looked confused. “Why?”

“Ven I knew him, Taako voudln’t even tell me vat part of town he lived in. He vouldn’t talk about anyzing remotely personal.”

“Oh.” This seemed to surprise Kravitz, which in itself surprised Brian. “Well, I wasn’t expecting the old hippie roommate. I’d assumed he lived with his sister.”

“Wait. _Sister_?”

Kravitz nodded. “His twin sister, Lup.” He let his head fall to the back of the couch again. “It’s just; I haven’t met someone I thought I could really get to like in so long. And it seemed we had a real connection; that he liked me… and I mean for more than the reason you said he would be interested.”

“For your giant _schwanz_?” Brian said, eyebrows waggling.

Kravitz groaned. “Ug. Yes. That. God I hate when you say that.”

Brian laughed. “I know. Unt zat is vhy I alvays say it.” He sat back on the couch and wrapped an arm around Kravitz’s shoulders. “You are just so easy to tease.”

Kravitz sagged, letting his head fall to Brian’s shoulder. “I give up, Bri. It’s just not worth it. I’m just going to be alone forever. I’ll get a bunch of siblings for ‘Seph and never date again.” As if responding to her name, (a ridiculous notion since she was a cat, after all), Persephone peeked her head around the corner of the kitchen island, but the second she saw Brian, she backed up and scooted down the hall. Kravitz gave a groan. “‘Seph even let him pick her up. Can you believe that?”

That was pretty surprising, too, but since it could be argued that Taako was basically a cat in human form, Brian supposed he got it. “Oh Krav, you are such a romantic. Alvays looking for signs zat someone iz _“ze vone”_.” He huffed. “Vat ve need is a vay to cut ze cord between your dick unt your heart.” The hitched breath told him that the tears were threatening again. “Oh, come now,” he said, squeezing his arms around his friend and resting his chin against the top of Kravitz’s head. 

“I just… it was really nice. We were having good conversations, and laughing a lot and I haven’t had as much fun with anyone since…” he choked.

“It’z OK,” Brian soothed.

“It’s been so many years and I still miss him so much sometimes,” Kravitz said as he started to cry in earnest.

Brian had still been in Germany when Kravitz had met Keats, and frankly he hadn’t much liked the guy. Before Keats, Kravitz and Brian would talk pretty much every day, even though it had necessitated one or both of them being awake at an ungodly hour to accommodate the time difference. Then all of a sudden there was this new person who was stealing all of his best friend’s time? When he was all alone a whole hemisphere away? And no, it wasn’t that Kravitz didn’t still make the effort to call after he’d started dating Keats, but there were missed days, and when they did talk, there was a lot of gushing about how Kravitz was really starting to like the guy that he’d met, and how Keats had said this, or done such-and-such, and blah blah blah…

Then Brian had graduated and moved back and had been forced to get to know his best friend’s boyfriend… and then he’d felt like an asshole. Brian had wanted to hate Keats, but despite his pre-conceived notions, Keats wasn’t just some uber-macho jughead trying to steal his best friend. The man was nice, and surprisingly sensitive, and was very obviously in love with Krav. And sure, Keats’ family was fucked up, and they very obviously resented that their little brother wanted to spend more time with Kravitz than with them, but whose family wasn’t fucked up? And it wasn’t like Keats just allowed his siblings to be dicks; he always called them out when they were rude and would make them apologize.

It had astounded him how good Keats and Kravitz were together. Brian had never been exposed to healthy relationships when he was young. He’d never much believed there _were_ such things as good relationships. But seeing his best friend and Keats together had occasionally made him question his convictions.

He remembered Kravitz’s excited blabbering the day after they’d first said “I love you” to each other. He remembered helping Kravitz move into Keats’ house. He had dutifully listened when they’d had their first big argument, and seen how their relationship had grown stronger for it. And after a few years, Brian had been the sounding board for when Kravitz was trying to decide whether to propose or not.

But he also remembered when Kravitz had called him, choking on hysterical sobs with the news, and Brian had one more reason to think being in a relationship wasn’t worth it.

It had been almost seven years, now. Seven long years with ups and downs and plateaus that sometimes felt more devastating than rock bottom.

After everything, one of the things they’d learned, with the help of Kravitz’s therapist, was how important it was for Kravitz to experience the pain of his loss instead of trying to distance himself from his emotions, and so Brian let his friend cry. When the pain of Keats’ passing had still been fresh, the tears would sometimes last for days, and Brian and Raven and Izzy would arrange their schedules so that Kravitz was never left alone… especially after… well, Brian didn’t want to think about what his friend had tried to do. Things were better now. Kravitz had worked hard to make a new life for himself, and as time had passed, his days of grief lessening, growing shorter in duration and longer in interval, until now, after about five minutes, Kravitz’s breathing was evening out.

“Just because it didn’t vork out zis time…”

“I know,” Kravitz sighed. “It just felt like it could have been real.”

Brian nodded. He was surprised by a lot of what Kravitz had said. He didn’t really know Taako’s “tragic background” story; partly because what he and Taako had been interested in with each other had nothing to do with emotions, and partially because Taako (and yeah, he was the same way, he knew himself well enough to own it) was just generally emotionally distant in the first place. But it sounded like the infamous Taako Taaco had actually started to open up around his best friend. It was hard to believe.

Then again, what was seemingly developing between himself and Klarg wasn’t anything he would have expected, either. And to be honest, it felt… surprisingly good? He hadn’t ever thought that being in a relationship could _be_ good for him. It sure wasn’t something he ever thought he’d wanted. But it was kinda nice knowing that Klarg always seemed to want to see him. That the guy seemed to care about him. That…

“So, you and Klarg seem to be doing pretty well, huh?” Kravitz said, as though reading Brian’s thoughts. And with how long they’d known each other, he guessed it wasn’t that surprising.

“Ja. I guess ve are. But maybe you don’t vant to hear about it now?”

Kravitz shook his head. “No, it’s all right. Maybe it’ll help.” He offered a paltry imitation of a smile. “I mean, if _you_ can find someone that’ll tolerate you, then I _have_ to be able to find someone eventually, right?”

Brian gave him a shove, grateful to be moving out of the darkness of the moment. “ _Kackbratze!_ I take back all ze nice zings I’ve ever said about you!”

“Fair enough,” Kravitz said with a slow nod.

“No, I take zat back, too. You’re not wrong, but just because you’re right about somezing doesn’t mean you actually have to say it, ja?”

“I guess not.”

They both smiled and sank deeper into Kravitz’s couch. “You remember vhat it vas like,” Brian said after a while, trying to push down the bile as memories threatened to assault him. “Viz how horrible my parents vere.”

“Yeah. I remember.”

“It’s not like zat vhen I’m viz Klarg.”

This time, Kravitz’s smile was genuine. “That’s great, Bri.”

“Ja. It is.” Brian groaned. “I’m probably going to fuck it up.”

“Maybe not.”

Brian sat there, and eventually he nodded. “Maybe not.”

* * * * * * * * * *

**SideburnsBurnsides: Lup? I need your help**

**_not a great time, chops._ **

**SideburnsBurnsides: It’s about Taako.**

**_what about Taako?_ **

**SideburnsBurnsides: He’s been really mopey the past few days. I’m worried.**

**_on my way._ **

Lup drummed her fingers against the steering wheel, scowling at the red light. Fuck! Maybe it was broken and they were all just sitting in their cars like a bunch of fucking idiots waiting for a green light that would never come. She shifted her eyes around. If there weren’t cars in front of her, she would have just run it. She assessed her situation: if she could angle the wheels just right, she could probably get the right side of her Jeep up onto the sidewalk, and if she didn’t care about knocking off any rearview mirrors, she might be able to go around…

Finally the light turned green and she felt relieved she hadn’t had to hop the curb; Barry would have totally given her _the look_ if she wrecked the alignment again.

Passing the three slow-ass people who’d been in front of her — her middle finger held high as she zipped past — she made it to the house without any more delays.

“Heya Mags,” she said as she bounded up the sidewalk.

Magnus was sitting on the porch, whittling a block of wood that would undoubtedly be a duck at some point in the near future. He stood as she approached. “Hey Lup,” he said as he wrapped his huge arms around her.

“So?”

Magnus rubbed a meaty hand across the back of his neck. “Yeah, so, brief background: the other night, he had me pick him up after a date.” Lup felt her stomach turn, and Magnus must have seen her expression shift because he quickly continued. “He wasn’t hurt, though. He was just a bit… high strung.”

She raised an eyebrow. “‘ _High strung_?’ You’ve met Taako before, right? “High strung” is his middle name.” She bit her lip. “Has he been taking his meds?”

“I think so. I hear him with the bottles every morning. I wouldn’t have even been that worried, but he called in sick to work today.”

That wasn’t a good sign. “Any idea what’s going on?”

“Honestly?” He offered her a lopsided grimace. “I think he’s in love.”

That caught her off guard. “What?”

“He’s been talking to this guy for a couple weeks now. Saturday night — the night he had me pick him up — was their first like, _real_ date, but he’s been glued to his phone texting and talking to the dude pretty much nonstop since they met.”

Lup was taken aback. That was not at all like Taako. He’d always been emotionally standoffish — which made perfect sense with their childhood — but ever since _the-asshole-whose-name-they-did-not-mention_ , and then the _other_ asshole from a few months before, Taako had kept himself even more aloof. If a guy so much as texted one-too-many-times, _Taako was out_.

She could feel the muscles in her shoulders bunch. “You’re sure the guy didn’t mess with him?”

“Yeah. When I pressed him on it, Taako basically admitted that he just got scared.” He gave a wry snort. “Dude brought Taako flowers, and Merle said he seemed like a decent guy from what little they talked. ‘Course, he also commented that he was hot, so you know, my source is pretty tainted.”

“Oh, Geez. Good looking and he brought flowers? Merle probably creamed his pants.”

Magnus made a show of fake-gagging. “Grooooss… But yeah.” He sighed. “I think what happened is that Taako was starting to have some actual feelings and he didn’t handle it well.”

Lup nodded. “Sounds about right.” She cracked her neck to the side. “All right, let’s see if Lup can fix this.”

She left Magnus on the porch and walked into the house — the house that used to be hers, too — and from the corner of her eye, she spotted what must have been the bouquet the guy had brought. It looked fancy.

Yeah, Merle probably did all sorts of nasty things to it.

She climbed up the stairs, past Merle’s room. Past Magnus’. Past Julia’s…

Julia’s room. The one Julia basically just used to hold her stuff since she slept in Magnus’ room while they saved up to buy a house together.

Julia’s room: the one next to Taako’s…

…The room that used to be Lup’s.

She banged on Taako’s door.

“Whoever it is, you can fuck right the fuck off,” came the muffled reply.

“BroBro. Open up, it’s your favorite person in the whole world!” she sing-songed, unable to fully disguise the tension in her voice.

There was a theatrical groan, but the creak of the bed springs and the oh-so-familiar sound of her brother’s shuffling steps reassured her. She leaned against the wall in as nonchalant a way as she could.

And waited.

And _waited_.

Finally, the door opened.

“Well look if it isn’t Mrs. Blaujenseits,” he said.

She appraised him. The time he’d kept her waiting had obviously been spent hastily applying makeup to cover the splotches around his puffy, watery eyes. “You know, I think that’s the first time you’ve every said it the right way.”

“Well, it was always funnier to call him ‘Bluejeans’.”

“Well, obviously,” she pushed her way into his room and plopped down on his bed. “So, how’s it been hanging, Koko?”

He rolled his eyes. “Why’re you here, Lu?”

“Do I need a reason to visit my beloved baby brother?”

He sat down next to her and snorted. “By 30 seconds,” he grumbled. “So Magnus asked you to come, huh?”

“Well, he _might_ have said you could _maybe_ use a little time with your sister.”

“Asshole.”

She nodded. “Yeah, but he’s an asshole who loves you.” She shoved her shoulder against his. “So, I saw a pretty bouquet on the table.” Taako didn’t say anything. “Magnus said some guy brought it for you.”

“It’s not really anyone’s goddamned business.”

“Is that why you haven’t told me about any of this?”

He shrugged. “No time. You’ve been busy with Bluejeans.”

A flash of hurt squeezed her heart, but she didn’t let it show. “You are such a fucking dumbass. You know I’m never too busy for you.”

He kicked his heels against the bed and silence filled the room.

“What the fuck, ‘Ko?” Her forehead creased. “You angry at me?”

“No. Fuck. I don’t know,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “No. I’m not angry.”

So that was definitely a “yes”.

“You sure?” she asked. “’Cause it seems like you’re angry at me.”

He avoided her eyes. “Why would I be angry?” he said, then let out a long breath. “You and me against the world, right?” He looked away. “Guess I’ve just been missing you.”

“Oh, ‘Ko. You coulda just said.”

“What, and interfered in your and Barold’s domestic bliss?”

Yep. There it was. “Dude. Numero Uno: You know you’re always welcome at our place. Numero Two-o: You always come first. I love Barry with all my heart, but Taako, you _are_ my heart.”

He took in a sharp breath, but eventually his head fell to rest on her shoulder. She could feel his jaw tighten in the way it always had when they were kids and he was trying not to cry. “You’re such a fucking sap.”

“Says the dude who’s been glued to his phone the past two weeks mooning over some boy.” She ran her fingers through his hair in the way that had always managed to calm him when they were young. “So, why don’t you tell me about this dude?”

“Nothing to tell. Cha’boy isn’t seeing him again.”

“Magnus said it’s because…”

“No,” he cut her off. “Doesn’t matter what Magnus said. You would listen to _Magnus_? Dude is as dumb as a sack of wooden ducks.”

She sighed. A long pause stretched. She didn’t want to bring it up, but… “Not everyone is going to turn out like _him_ , you know.” Taako’s posture stiffened. It had been years, now, but that kind of trauma didn’t just go away. She pulled him in close. “Merle said the guy was hot.”

“Ew. Gross. I don’t want to know that the guy who is _basically our dad_ thought he was hot.”

She snickered. “Yeah, pretty gross. But…?”

Taako flung himself back on the bed. “Of course he’s fucking hot. Tall. Dark. Handsome. And built, Lu. Abs like fuckin’ challah bread. The whole package. Like I’d waste my time on someone who wasn’t.”

She rolled her eyes. Again, not that she liked thinking about him, but Sazed had been homely as fuck and that hadn’t stopped Taako from shacking up with him. Her brother was not nearly as superficial as he liked to pretend. “Merle also said he seemed nice.”

“He is nice.” He shifted his eyes to the window. “Like, Barold-levels of nice.”

“Oh.”

“Barold-levels of nerdy, too.”

She gave a laugh to lessen the tension. “Well, shit. Then you’re done for, you know that, right? If there is one thing that the Taaco-twins are susceptible to, its nerdy nice guys. It’s like our kryptonite.”

“Nerd,” he muttered.

“Between the two of us, which one goes to clubs in a wizard’s hat?”

“I rock that look.”

“Yeah, you _do_ rock that look. But…” she cleared her throat and gave a fake cough at the same time, poorly covering the words “Nerd-alert!”

Finally, the last of the tension between them dissolved as they laughed. She let herself fall back onto the bed next to her brother. “So what happened?

He sighed. “Shit got fucked up.”

“‘K. Care to elaborate?”

“He turned me down when I tried to blow him in the men’s room.” He shrugged.

“Wow. You sure he’s even into dudes?”

Taako snorted again. “Yeah. 100% sure.”

“OK, so how do you get from _not_ doing nasty things to him in some disgusting bathroom to here?”

“He said he wanted to take me to dinner instead. He wanted to take it slow.”

“Aw. That’s nice.”

“Exactly. Like I said: he’s nice.”

“You know, just because you were with a psycho prick for a long time, it doesn’t mean you can’t date nice guys.”

“But _I’m_ not a nice guy.”

“Well, maybe not by the strictest definition of the word, no. But you are the best.”

He gave a laugh, but it was watery. “Natch.”

“And I don’t just mean that as “the best looking” or “the best cook” or “the best brother”,” she said, poking his exposed midriff.

He wiggled away and pulled his top down in an attempt to cover his tummy. “I think he was engaged,” he finally said.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. But I don’t know what happened.”

“You didn’t ask?”

He didn’t say anything for a bit. Finally: “He left me alone at his place. I snooped.”

“Just like you should,” she concluded. They’d both learned that lesson as kids: get as much information as you could. It had gotten them in trouble sometimes, but had also saved their asses on more than one occasion.

“Exactly. Like I should.” He blew out a long breath and scooched back to her side. “I found this like, really stupid book, and I think it must have been how he proposed to the guy. And I saw it and I… I left.”

“Oh, ‘Ko.”

“As I was leaving, he looked like I’d punched him. And I told myself I didn’t care, and I _shouldn’t_ care, but I….” He looked sick. “I guess I… care? Is that even a thing?”

Her heart hurt and she gave him a squeeze. “I know it doesn’t feel like it, but it is OK to care _sometimes_. It isn’t like when we were kids anymore. Not _everyone_ is an asshole.”

“But how do you just forget everything you ever learned? Like, that shit is _up there_. It doesn’t just go away,” he said, a note of desperation in his words.

“It’s not easy,” she admitted. “But it’s different now. We have a family. You know Mags and Merle would listen if you wanted to talk. Lucy and Dav and Barry would too. And if you needed to see someone professional? I could help pay for it.” She sighed and pulled him back into her arms. “And I’m sorry I’ve not been around. I shoulda been. I’m sorry, ‘Ko.”

She felt moisture soaking through the fabric of her shirt. “You’re married now. You and Barry…” he said, his voice small. “…you guys are in love. You deserve that, Lu. After everything? Fuck. You don’t need me ruining it.”

She dug the tip of her index finger into the middle of his forehead. “Taak: for being smart as fuck you sure can be dumb sometimes. We talked about how for the first few months, Barry and I would probably be spending a lot of time alone together, you know, for fucking.” He groaned in disgust and she laughed. “But after a while, it’ll be pretty much like it always was, yeah? You and me and Barry always used to hang out no problem. Unless, of course, you’re busy with your own nice, handsome boyfriend.”

“Not much chance of that.”

“So, you’re just gonna leave it?”

“It would be easier.”

“Yeah. Probably. And I guess if he’s that easy to leave, he must not have been very good in the sack.”

Taako mumbled something.

“What was that, bro? Couldn’t hear you.”

“I just said that, as far as I could tell, he would have been great,” he seethed. “But since _someone_ took my sexy coin purse, I’ll probably never know just _how_ great.”

“Who took your sexy coin purse?”

“As if you didn’t know, you thief.”

She quirked an eyebrow at him. “Dude. I’m married. Barry and I are monogamous. So _I_ get to never use a condom again for the rest of my life.”

He squinted his eyes at her. “But I looked everywhere for it. It didn’t just walk out of my purse.”

“Maybe Mags?”

“Nah, he and Jules don’t use ‘em.”

The silence stretched between them again. Then, simultaneously, they looked at each other in disgust. “Ew!” they yelled simultaneously.

“I didn’t think Dav was due back for another two weeks?” Lup said.

“He got back stateside early,” Taako said, distinctly green around the gills. “God even if Merle returned it, I’d have to burn it now and that sucks ‘cause I really liked that coin purse. The beadwork was baller as fuck.”

Silence filled the room as they recovered from their mutual queasiness. Finally, Taako sighed. “Problem is, I miss the guy.”

Oh, and wasn’t that something. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He groaned. “He’s funny and good looking and smart and, fuck, he’s just _nice_. Like, a genuinely decent person and, shit, what am I supposed to do with that?”

“Maybe enjoy it?”

Suddenly his phone vibrated on the bedside table, and his posture stiffened. He leaned over and looked at the screen, then slouched back.

“Was that him?”

“No. Brian.”

“Brian? As in “Spider-Brian?””

“Yeah, dude and Brian are best friends since, like, _forever_. And Bri has been sending me non-stop texts. I’m sure he’s pissed at me for ‘ _hurting hiz best friend_ ,’” he said the last bit in a goofily dismissive impression of Brian’s accent.

“So, like when Magnus threatens to beat people up for you.”

His lips puckered into an angry little frown. “Yeah. Basically.”

“Never would have put Spider-Brian and Magnus in the same column.”

“No shit, right?”

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys get some support and guidance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW for reference to attempted suicide in the first part. It isn't graphic, but be careful.
> 
> Thank you all for continuing to read this piece which is going much longer than originally anticipate! I tresure every comment and kudos.

“We’ll see you on Friday,” Raven said, embracing the older woman whose husband had just passed. While dealing with death was never easy, there were times when it wasn’t as harrowing. This woman, for instance, had had plenty of time to say her goodbyes to a spouse who’d slowly drifted away from the realm of thought; her pain lessened by the fact that he’d had a full, long life and that his death had ultimately been a kindness.

Raven wished all transitions encompassed the same element of peace and completion that this one did.

As heartbreaking as it sometimes was, Raven loved her work. All the women in her family had been deeply involved with the cycles of life and death, and even as a child she’d been taught to see dying as just a transition from one state of being to the next. As she’d found her own way in life, it had been an obvious progression to combine her understanding of death with ecological rebirth, and thus she had started Raven’s Rest Ecological Mortuary.

As she walked into the back office, she found Kravitz was on the phone. “Yes, ma’am, I think it’s unfortunate too,” he said. “However, there are public health concerns to take into consideration.” He shot her a long-suffering look and she tried to keep herself from chuckling. “No, I agree. In fact, I would consider it too, if it were legal.”

In their business, they got some pretty wacky calls, and Kravitz always handled them like a pro. But with repetition often came frustration.

He continued. “If you’re absolutely committed to sky burial, the closest alternative would be to donate your body to the FBI. The Faerun Bureau of Investigation has designated areas around the country where they leave bodies and assess rates of decomposition and animal and insect consumption.” A pause. “Well, I can’t guarantee they would choose your body as a suitable candidate but…” He scrunched his face. “Yes, it can be a bit messy.” A lingering pause. “Well, no, they actually require that your family pay for all costs associated.” He gave her a desperate look. “No, I can’t, but I could certainly provide you with a contact.” He mimed shooting himself. “Yes. I understand. Of course. Goodbye.” He hung up the phone. “It is amazing how quickly they lose interest when you give them a few details,” he said, leaning back in his chair and rubbing a hand over his eyes. “Please tell me it’s time to leave.”

“Almost,” Raven said, patting his shoulder. “How you holdin’ up?”

“I’m tired. It’s been a long week.”

She nodded. “You got that right.” She debated a moment, but she’d never been one to back away from a difficult question. “You heard anything from that boy?”

The young man hesitated and his face fell. “No.”

She gave his hand a squeeze. She’d known Kravitz for years, and never once had she seen him so besotted with anyone — other than Keats, of course, but that had been different. She’d only seen the end of that relationship, not the beginning. Seeing the young man she thought of as a son experiencing the sweetness of new love had been wonderful the past few weeks, and to have it snatched away from him so quickly left her heart aching.

She distinctly remembered the day Kravitz had entered her life; the poor boy had barely kept it together as he’d described the situation, and after she had asked a few questions, he’d lost it completely. Raven was used to grief — her whole life had been devoted to assisting others through the mourning process on some level. And while she would never say consoling a grieving family member became easy, with repetition she had come to know various strategies that tended to help certain individuals.

So, when his tears had calmed, she’d suggested that they take a trip out to the sanctuary.

It had taken her a long time to find the right place. Not without reason, but open space areas tended to have a ton of regulations. She’d been searching for a suitable location for a while when a chance meeting had gotten her in touch with an older gentleman who owned a large swath of land that was ideal for the sanctuary. After telling him what she envisioned, he had become invested in her enterprise and agreed to sell her the land at a very generous discount.

And it was perfect. Large enough that it spanned a fair amount of the cottonwood-crowned marshes bordering the low foothills outside city limits, with streams and tributaries that naturally created peaceful final resting areas.

The day Kravitz had made his appearance in her life, they’d driven out and then walk the area together. The weather had been lovely, there was bird song in the air, and the sun was heating up the pine needles and scenting the breeze with the smell of the cycle of life. After a while, he’d started to cry again, and she’d sat him on a bench and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

Finally, he sniffled and looked around, eventually managing to speak. “This is nice.”

“Yes, I think so, too. It’s one of my favorite places in the world.”

“I think he’d like it.”

She had formed many bonds with the people whom she’d met through her work. Kravitz, however, had been special. There had been a connection between them from the moment they’d met. A kinship. As she and Izzy helped him through Keats’ final days, they had forged a connection she hoped would be lifelong.

It had nearly killed her, then, when that connection almost came to a sudden and abrupt end.

She’d briefly met Kravitz’s friend Brian at Keats’ funeral, but they hadn’t had much interaction. He seemed nice enough, but after their brief introduction, she hadn’t expected to ever really talk to him again. So, two weeks later when she received a 4am call — Brian’s choked-up accent on the other end of the line — she knew that something terrible had happened.

She cast a glance at where Kravitz was now finishing up some paperwork. Even with his recent romantic troubles, he was so vibrant and alive, and such a far cry from the ashen young man, swaddled in bleached white hospital sheets, whose loneliness and despair had driven him to try and take his own life seven years ago.

It took a month before the doctors had agreed to release him. The physical damage had mostly healed, but the case workers were still insistent that he shouldn’t be left alone. Brian had said that Kravitz could live with him, but he had a job that required travel, and with his house being so far out into the suburbs, it wasn’t a good solution.

No. What was obvious, then, was that Kravitz should move in with her and Izzy. The young man had tried to argue, saying that he couldn’t impose on people he’d basically just met. But the more he argued, the more Raven knew he was meant to be with them.

It had been an adjustment at first. Any time a new person is introduced into a space there are compromises to be made. But even though he may have started out as an acquaintance transiently staying with them, before long, he had felt like a member of their family.

Raven had never thought of herself as wanting children, but in Kravitz, she and Izzy had somehow been blessed with a loving son.

Once he was no longer considered a risk to himself, it had only been natural for her to offer him a job. At that point in her business, she really hadn’t had the money to hire an employee, but it turned out to be the best thing she could have done. With someone to help with the business end of things, and to assist with the logistics that she had little interest in, it gave her more time to devote to the actual work, and Raven’s Rest was soon, somehow, _miraculously_ , in the black.

Back in the present, she looked at the tired slope of the boy’s shoulders. “You know, we don’t have any other appointments the rest of the day, and it’s almost five anyway. Why don’t we go and get a drink?”

“I was planning to hit the gym and…”

“Honey, I know you have a strict nightly regimen of physical suffering and playing music, but _I_ could go for a drink. And you know Izzy will be pissed if you make me drink alone, right?”

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “This is peer pressure.”

“Oh no, sweetie, this is _boss_ pressure. It’s a whole other level of manipulation,” she said with her most goofy/serious expression.

And he laughed for what might have been the first time since his new boy had walked out. “All right,” he gave in.

It was just the two of them today, so closing down was pretty quick. Stepping out into the sunlight, it finally felt like spring had truly arrived, and while it wasn’t far to Sakura, by the time they got there, they had both shrugged off their jackets and Kravitz had even rolled up his sleeves.

As they walked through the door, they heard a shout over the general background chatter. “Ray! Krav! Good to see you guys!”

Hurley, the owner, hopped off the stool she had to sit on at the bar and came around to give them both hugs.

Sakura was a funky little place that a person could walk right past if they didn’t know it was there. They served three different types of kombucha on tap, had cherry blossom murals on almost every surface, and had Sapphic poetry readings two nights a week. They always had fresh flowers, too, since Hurley’s wife worked at a nursery.

“Good to see you too, ‘Lee. How you been? How’s the leg?” Raven asked as they sat at the bar. Hurley was already pouring them two glasses of wine.

The woman grimaced. “Not great, and it still pisses me off, but the department finally settled and the asshole got a dishonorable discharge, so at least he’ll never be in uniform again.”

“That ‘ _asshole’_ should be in prison,” Krav said, and Raven agreed. Everyone knew that Hurley had been one of the best damn cops in the city, and if her misogynistic, homophobic partner had provided the backup she’d needed in a drug-deal gone south, she’d still be kicking ass on the streets.

“Yeah, well, no way IAB was going to pursue it.” Hurley shrugged. “And this way, Sloane can’t give me so much grief about being a ‘pig’,” she said, rolling her eyes: it was a long running argument between the former policewoman and her rebellious, not-always-law-abiding wife “…and I guess she doesn’t have to worry so much about me getting shot anymore, right?”

“Did I feel my ears burning?”

Hurley’s face lit up as her wife sat down next to Raven. “Hey babe,” she greeted, starry-eyed.

“Hey there yourself.” Sloane said, leaning over the bar. Hurley had never been tall, even before her injury had taken a couple inches off her stature. Her wife, on the other hand, was a couple inches taller even than Kravitz, about half his weight, and wiry. Hurley had to hop up to meet her across the bar for a long, heated kiss.

A few patrons of the bar gave wolf whistles.

They all chatted a while, with Hurley occasionally leaving to serve a customer. Settled into the evening, Sloane turned to Kravitz. “So, did those flowers I pulled together charm your new boyfriend?” she asked.

Hurley came back just then. “New boyfriend? Krav, that’s great!”

Kravitz’s face fell. “Not so great. I think I did something to scare him off. He hasn’t returned any of my texts.”

Sloane squeezed his arm. “Shit, sorry to hear that.”

“Jerk probably didn’t deserve you anyway,” Hurley offered. He shrugged, and Raven knew Hurley was just trying to help, but she could see that the comment just hurt him. “Didn’t you all just hire a new guy? Any promise with him?”

Kravitz looked distinctly uncomfortable, and Raven couldn’t blame him. The new employee had come highly recommended, and they had very much needed an additional mortician. Still, even though he did good work…

“You mean Lucas?” Kravitz asked. “Um. No.”

“What? Why?”

“Let’s just say he’s already very much in love with someone else,” he said.

“Oh. Well. OK. That won’t work. But it’s kinda sweet.”

Sloane snorted. “Um, what Kravitz is neglecting to mention is that the person he’s in love with is his _mom_.”

“Sloane!” Hurley smacked her shoulder. “We talked about this. “Mom” jokes aren’t funny.”

Sloane shrugged. “Wasn’t a joke.”

Hurley looked over at Kravitz and he grimaced. “No joke,” he said, and then turned to Sloane. “How do you know Lucas?”

“I don’t. I’ve had exactly one conversation with him when I was dropping off flowers last week. That was more than enough to get the picture.”

The shorter woman’s brow furrowed. “Ug. OK. Well, back to the drawing board I guess.”

They stayed there until a bit before eight, and Raven was feeling pleasantly soft around the edges when she and Kravitz decided it was time to go. They wished their friends goodnight and ordered a taxi.

Waiting outside the bar, they leaned wine-heavy against the brick wall of the building. Looking up, the night sky was breath-taking.

Out of nowhere, Kravitz’s voice broke the silence. “Thanks, Ray.”

She turned to him, but he was still just looking up at the stars. “You’re welcome, hun, but why you thanking me?”

“For getting me out tonight? For always being there for me?” He shrugged. “For everything, I guess.”

She placed a hand on his cheek. “It’s been my pleasure, son.”

 

* * * * * * * * * *

Brian leaned against the railing, turning his phone around in his hands. He knew this was probably pointless, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’d acted on a stupid idea and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Finally, he spotted his quarry.

“Hallo, Taako.”

Taako spun around, his eyes wide. “Oh, uh, Brian,” he shifted his glance around. “Uh, what are you doing here?”

“I texted you, but you didn’t respond.”

“Been busy, m’dude.”

“Vell, ve need to talk.”

Taako’s smile was obviously trying to communicate confidence, but it was failing — badly. “Oh, you want the 411 on Klarg? Well, he’s really into getting his ass…”

Holding up a hand, Brian shook his head. “Zis isn’t about Klarg.”

The man looked at him, the picture of unconvincing innocence, complete with fluttering eyelashes. “No?”

“Zis is about Kravitz.”

Taako pretended to search his mind. “Oh, yeah, I remember: the tall guy you were using to make Klarg jealous.”

Brian’s mouth puckered. “Come off it, Taako.”

“Fine, but can we at least go somewhere that isn’t right outside where I work for this little confrontation?”

“I hear you like Kazryn’s Coffee. Shall ve go zere?”

There was a quick flinch, but he shrugged. “Yeah. Sure. Whatevs”

They walked in silence for a few steps, but then Taako stopped and turned to him. “Look, I don’t know what he told you.”

“He told me more zan _you_ ever told me.”

The set of Taako’s jaw was firm, then turned into a sharp smile. “No need to be jealous, Bri. You and I were on the same page: nothing serious. No need to share our life stories. Just a bit of fun.”

“Ja. But if I know Kravitz — unt I **_know_** Kravitz _—_ he told you up front zat he vasn’t interested in zat.”

Taako curled his lip. “Yeah. He mentioned it. So what?”

That made Brian’s spine itch. “He vas honest viz you and you treated him like zis anyvay? I didn’t zink you would stoop so low.”

“Then you obviously don’t know me very well, do ya?” Brian watched Taako’s face carefully, and… yes; there was another flinch. A breach in his armor. He decided to press his advantage.

“You’re right. I don’t. For instance, I didn’t know zat you had a tvin sister,” Brian prodded.

Another spasm crossed Taako’s face. “I don’t want to talk anymore.”

“You told Kravitz about your sister. You let him know vhere you live. You even let him meet your roommate. Zose are not ze behaviors of ze Taako I knew. _Zat_ Taako would razer do anyzing zan let someone know somezing _personal_ about him.”

“This conversation is over,” Taako turned to walk away, but Brian placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

“Vhy him?”

The silence was protracted. “Look, homie, if you want an apology for not baring my soul to you…”

“No. Zis isn’t about me. Or anyzing betveen us. Zis is about you letting Kravitz past your barriers.” He gently turned Taako around. “I zink maybe you realized he vas a good guy, unt zat maybe you zought you might vant somezing more… meaningful?”

Taako’s glance was narrow and he bit his lip. Finally he hissed out: “I wasn’t _trying_ to be an asshole, OK?”

Brian nodded slowly. “OK.”

“And he _does_ seems like a nice guy.”

“He is.”

“And he’s, well, he’s pretty funny.”

“Ja.” Brian smiled softly. “Sometimes it’s even intentional.”

Taako snorted. “He gave me flowers.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “Of course he did. He has alvays been a hopeless romantic... But especially ven he really likes somevone.”

Looking away, Taako’s expression was distressed. “I didn’t mean to, I don’t know… hurt him?” Taako said quietly. “But…”

“Vhat?”

“I freaked out a little bit, OK?” Taako admitted. “Is that what you want to hear, dude?”

Brian sighed and patted his shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get some coffee, ja? My treat?”

At this hour, it wasn’t crowded, so they got their orders pretty quickly and had their pick of tables. They sipped at their drinks even though they were still too hot, but finally, Brian put his to-go cup down. “Krav zinks he did somezing wrong. Zat he said somezing he shouldn’t have.”

Peering into his ridiculously pastel-colored drink, Taako shook his head. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Zen vhy did you leave so suddenly?”

“I…” Taako grimaced. “Shit, look, I snooped, OK? And I found something. And it made me think of a bunch of stuff and I… it made me remember that good things just don’t happen to ol’ Taako.”

Brian ignored the all-too-familiar sentiment, and instead tried to think of what Kravitz could possibly have lying around that would cause this reaction. Then it dawned: “You found ze proposal book?”

Taako nodded. “Look, I had some shit happen to me, right? And it…” he started, but his words hesitated. “I don’t have good associations with like, real relationships.”

Sometimes Brian found it uncomfortable how much he and Taako had in common. “I understand ze feeling.” He gave a long sigh. “Unt I have told him a million times to pack zat zing avay,” he said. “But I suppose I’m not surprised he still has it out.”

Swirling the contents of his cup, Taako continued to avoid Brian’s eyes. “They looked happy together.”

“Zey vere.”

The glare Taako shot him was angry, now. “Well, then what the fuck? If they were so happy, why aren’t they married? And if they broke up, why does he still keep that thing around?”

It probably wasn’t his place to divulge this kind of information, but… “Zey didn’t break up.” Brian said. “Keats got sick. Unt he died.”

The color drained from Taako’s face and he took a long drink. “Fuck,” he finally said.

“It has been some years since Keats passed. Krav hasn’t really dated much since zen. In fact, until a few veeks ago, I never zhought I’d see him love-struck again.”

Brian watched as Taako rubbed his forehead. “Look, you’re his friend, right? As his friend, you don’t want him to get hurt. You wanna look out for him. So… he’d do better to steer clear of me, yeah? You know what I’m like. Look at what happened with us.”

“Like you said before, Taako, ve vere on ze same page zhen. Just a little bit of fun.” He shrugged. “But it’s been a few years now. Perhaps ve have grown?” He offered a wry smile. “I’m still seeing Klarg, after all, unt I never zhought I’d still be viz a guy for over a _mont_.”

Taako gave a snort. “Whoa, dude. A _month_? Slow down there.” He slumped in his seat and his head hit the back of the booth. “Brian. We’re fucked up.”

“Tell me somezing I don’t know, Taako.”

They shared mutually self-deprecating smiles.

“Look, Taako, I care about Kravitz very much. He is like mein brozer. He is a gut man. A caring unt generous person. He has gone zrough a lot unt he deserves to have some happiness. To be loved.” He tilted his head. “You unt I? Ve’re pricks. Our lives have _made_ us pricks. But even zhough we’re pricks, ve also deserve to be loved.”

The notch in Taako’s armor shone through again, and Brian thought he could see some moisture gathering in the corner of his eyes. “I’m not sure it’s worth it, Bri. It’s just too dangerous.”

“I vould not have zhought it vas vorz it, eizer. But I’ll admit. It is a bit nice to have somevone who knows how I take my tea. Who asks how my day vas and actually listens ven I bitch. Who holds me vizout expecting anyzing.” He couldn’t help the sigh that escaped. “I’m not a fool. It probably von’t last. But it _is_ better zan I zhought a relationship could be.”

The sat in silence for a few minutes, then Taako let out a long sigh. “Even if you’re right. After I’ve blown him off for this long? I can’t imagine he’d even want to talk to me again.”

Brian nodded. “You hurt him. Unt I can’t say for sure if he _vill_ vant to talk to you again. But I didn’t zink Klarg would have talked to me, eizer.” He tapped long fingernails against his coffee cup. “I’ve known Krav a long time, unt I’ve never met anyvone viz a bigger, more forgiving heart.”

“I don’t know,” Taako said. “I just didn’t think I’d miss him this much.”

Brian offered a half-hearted smile. “I’m not saying you have to do zis, Taako. Maybe it vould be better if you didn’t. Like I said, Krav’s gone zhrough a lot, and he certainly doesn’t need to be strung along. But from vhat he told me, I zink maybe you see zat he is a gut guy and zat he vould treat you vell. Unt if you decided zat you vanted to give falling in love with a nice man a try, you vill not find a better one zan Kravitz.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A step towards reconciliation.  
> Thanks as always to everyone for reading and commenting <3

Kravitz got back to his apartment and sighed. He wasn’t _drunk-_ drunk but he was feeling relaxed and it had been nice spending time with Raven and Sloan and Hurley. He knew his friends were probably right, and that he should try to get out more, but for a long time, all his favorite haunts had just reminded him too much of Keats, and by the time the sharp feeling of loss had dulled, he’d already established new routines.

As he took off his shoes, Persephone scampered over and glared a deathstare at him. “Oh noo!” he said in exaggerated despair as he picked her up and walked into the kitchen area. “Did daddy stay out too late and leave you to starve?”

She “murped” accusingly, but settled down once he set out a plate of her favorite wet food. He figured he probably should have something to eat himself, or just go straight to bed, but for the last hour he’d had a phrase for a sonata circling in his head, and he thought he’d just get that down first.

Unfortunately, he made the mistake of checking his phone before he pulled up his composing software, though, and sure enough, there was a voicemail from Brian.

“Call me ven you can,” was all his friend said.

He sat down and quickly sketched out the basic note progression before he hit the green “phone” circle.

“Krav!”

“Hey Bri. What’s up?”

There was a pause, then. “I have some information.”

“Oh?” He felt his nerves jangle. “About what?”

“About Taako.”

The muscles in his shoulders tensed. “Oh.”

“I know vhy he left so suddenly.”

“ _Oh_?” he asked again, his senses on high alert.

He had really enjoyed his time with Taako. He still thought about him all the time — and not just in the “ _shit, I can’t believe the guy ghosted me”_ way. More often than not, when he wasn’t paying attention, he’d still have the _“I can’t wait to tell Taako about this”_ sorts of thoughts. It astounded him how quickly the man had become important to him, how much he’d grown to like him in such a short amount of time. He normally wasn’t like that at all.

But it was why Taako’s disappearance hurt so much, too.

“He found your proposal book, und I guess it brought up some zings from his past,” Brian continued.

Aaaaaannd… that was _not_ what Kravitz would have ever chosen to hear. “ _What_?!”

“I guess seeing it freaked him out; made zings too real?” he sighed. “Please tell me you don’t just, like, have it on your coffee table.”

Kravitz felt his jaw clench and it took him a moment before he could respond. “No. I don’t.”

“Oh.” Brian hissed in a breath. He was silent for a long moment. “Not cool.”

“No. _Not cool_.”

“Ven vould he have had time to find it? Vere you in ze can for a long time or somezing?”

Kravitz swallowed. “I left the apartment for a while.”

“ _You_ left him alone in your apartment.”

“Yeah, well…”

“Krav?”

“I had to run to the drugstore.”

“ _Krav?!_ ”

“What?!

“Ze _drugstore_? Vhat did you need at ze _drugstore?”_

“Take a guess, Brian,” he snapped, because now he was in a _mood_.

Whether it was because of his irritated tone or something else, Brian’s end of the line stayed silent for a long time, and Kravitz started to feel a little bad for snipping. He was just about to ask if his friend was still there when Brian’s voice said: “You really _do_ like him.”

“Yeah, I do.” He shook his head. Should he change that to ‘did’? He didn’t know. “But now I know he went through my things before he just _left_ and then wouldn’t return my texts.”

“I’m a bit sorry I even told you.”

“Why? You’re the one who said you would have never introduced us in the first place.”

“Und I vouldn’t have. Ze Taako I knew vasn’t like ze Taako you described to me ze ozer day. Or ze Taako I saw earlier. Ze Taako I knew was too much like…” his words petered out.

“Like…?”

“Like _me_ , _dummkopf_.” Even over the phone, Kravitz could hear Brian rolling his eyes. “He is a screw up. Like me. Viz too much baggage. You don’t need zat in your life.”

“Brian.” He sighed. “You’re not a screw up.”

“A few veeks ago, you literally had to pick me up from ze floor of a jail cell.”

“OK. I’ll admit you sometimes make questionable life choices. But you’re still a really good guy and you’re my best friend. And you know I don’t like when people talk shit about my friends.”

There was a pause. “You’re my best friend, too, Krav.”

They both took a deep breath, then laughed at the simultaneousness of it.

“Soo… you talked to Taako?”

“I had to vait outside vhere he vorks, but ja. Ve talked. Und he said he missed you.”

Kravitz didn’t want that to effect him. What did he care that Taako missed him? _Kravitz_ wasn’t the one that had cut off contact. Or the one that had invaded his privacy.

But it did effect him.

“He said that?”

“Ja. Und for vat it’s vorth, it vas obviously an understatement.”

Kravitz swallowed. “I… I miss him, too.”

“Look, Krav, none of zis is an excuse. But you don’t get to be as screwed up as me or Taako vizout a lot of shit happening, you know? But, I’m growing, ja? I’ve been dating Klarg for over a monz. Longer if you count before I disappeared on him. Und I am trying very hard to give zings a try and to be a good boyfriend.”

“I know…” Kravitz gave a small laugh. “Honestly, I still kinda can’t believe he took you back.”

“Ouch! You burn me!” Brian chuckled. “But ja. Me neizer.”

Silence settled between them while he thought. “I’m still really pissed he went through my stuff.”

“I zink you have every right to be.”

“And that he didn’t have the decency to talk to me about any of this.”

“Again, zat is legitimate. Und I am not telling you zat you have to give him a second chance. I just vanted to let you know zat it vasn’t anyzing you did.”

“All right, Bri. I… appreciate that.”

“Ja. Vell, I am going over to Klarg’s, so, I’ll talk to you later, ja?”

“Yeah. Have a good night, Bri.”

Hanging up, he looked down at his phone, checking his messages for the hundredth time.

**\--- Sunday ---**

**Hey Taako. I’m not sure what happened. Did I do something wrong? (1:00 PM)**

**If so, I’m sorry. (1:03 PM)**

**Brian tells me I can come on a bit strong. (1:03 PM)**

**I guess you’re not there. Anyway. You can give me a call. Or, if you want to talk in person, I’m off Thursday night. I think you said you were off then, too? (1:20 PM)**

**Well, just let me know. Hope you’re OK (1:45 PM)**

His shoulders slumped. He wasn’t sure if he was happy that Brian had called or not. It was sort of a relief to know that it wasn’t anything he’d specifically done to scare Taako off. He always worried that he would make some social faux pas when it really mattered and end up irrevocably damaging things. But if Taako was the kind of guy to betray his trust by going through his stuff… the type of person that couldn’t even tell him why he didn’t want to see him anymore — who would rather just disappear — well, maybe he wasn’t someone he needed in his life, anyway.

In spite of all of it, though, Kravitz couldn’t stop thinking about goofy wizard’s hats or endearing little gaps between front teeth, or the giddy thrill he’d felt every time Taako had texted or called.

 _When in doubt, play it out,_ he thought as he sat down at his harpsichord. It was one of his dumb little sayings that Taako would have no doubt made fun of…

… but in a way that really funny and was actually pretty affectionate.

The one good thing about heartbreak was that it helped fuel creative impulse. He’d written more in the last few nights than he had during the entire time he’d known Taako.

He was just getting into it when his phone sounded against the spine of the harpsichord, and without dropping the notes, Kravitz leaned over to see what Brian had forgotten to say. Except…

**Taako: hey (8:15 PM)**

His notes dwindled into silence. Even after his conversation with Brian, he hadn’t really expected to ever hear from Taako again, and he wasn’t entirely sure how to feel. He resumed playing, but craned his neck to see the next message.

**Taako: heeellllooooo? anybody there? (8:20 PM)**

Nope, he decided. Still playing.

He didn’t owe Taako anything.

**Taako: yeah, so, its been a while, huh? (8:22 PM)**

“And whose fault is that?” Kravitz asked the air in his apartment.

**Taako: u said u were free tonight? (8:23 PM)**

That stopped Kravitz’s fingers. The nerve!

 **Seriously? (8:23 PM)** he wrote.

**Taako: uh, yeah? u were the 1 that suggested it, homie (8:24 PM)**

**Yes. I did. Five days ago. (8:24 PM)**

**Taako: something come up? u busy now? (8:26 PM)**

**What do you want, Taako? (8:27 PM)**

**Taako: I’m sure u can guess [winking emoji] (8:28 PM)**

If he’d thought he was angry when he’d heard that Taako had gone through his things, he now realized how wrong he was.

**Seriously? You don’t contact me for five days after you bug out the other night with no explanation and you’re going to do that? (8:29 PM)**

He tossed his phone onto the couch. A jog. That was what he needed to calm down. It was a little later than he usually liked to go out, but McElroy Park was well lit. And whatever pleasant buzz he’d had was thoroughly destroyed by this point. He went to his bedroom to get dressed.

He could hear the phone buzz in rapid succession, but he resolutely ignored it.

After he was dressed, though, he went out into the living room, and while he told himself he should just go and not even check his messages, he didn’t have enough willpower to resist.

**Taako: whoa, man, I was joking (8:29 PM)**

**Taako: trying to lighten the mood a little (8:29 PM)**

**Taako: look u said u wanted to talk. lets talk (8:30 PM)**

**Taako: come on krav. i’m trying here yeah? (8:35 PM)**

**Taako: I wanna give it a shot (8:38 PM)**

**Taako: did you block me? (8:40 PM)**

Kravitz tugged absently at his locks. Why did he feel bad? He had no reason to feel bad! “‘Cause I’m a schmuck” he said out loud… _exactly like a schmuck would do_ , he thought.

 **I didn’t block you. I’m going for a jog and went to change (8:42 PM** ) and he hated that it was basically an apology... like he was _sorry_ for living his life and not dropping everything for a guy who’d not even had the courage to talk to him. But that was how he’d always been. He followed it up with: **I’m not sure we should talk anymore (8:43 PM** ) in an attempt to downplay it.

The dots were cycling for a long time, and he wanted to put the phone down and just go. But he couldn’t.

**Taako: u jogging at that park by your house? (8:44 PM)**

**Why? (8:45 PM)**

**Taako: I can be there in like 10 minutes (8:45 PM)**

**Taako: maybe 15 (8:45 PM)**

He should tell him no. To leave him alone. Instead: **You didn’t strike me as the jogging type (8:45 PM)**

**Taako: ug. exercise? No thank u. Taako doesn’t sweat. (8:45 PM)**

**Taako: but i *would* like to talk, so maybe I can convince you to slow down to a walk for like a few minutes? (8:45 PM)**

“I’m probably going to regret this, aren’t I, ‘Seph?” Kravitz said as she rubbed his leg. **Fine. (8:48 PM)** he texted, then laced up his shoes.

**Taako: cool. You won’t regret it (8:48 PM)**

Kravitz wanted, more than anything, to believe that.

* * * * * * * * * *

 

**Lup i need a ride (8:48 PM)**

**Pyro-sis: Seriously? Its like midnight (8:49 PM)**

  1. **My. GOD! When did u get so old? Its not even 9 (8:49 PM)**



**Pyro-sis: We just settled down to watch TNG, dude. Cant it wait? (8:50 PM)**

**Ur such a fucking NERD! And like, its streaming, u can watch Nerd Trek ANY TIME (8:50 PM)**

**Pyro-sis: I just got into my comfy pants (8:51 PM)**

**PLEASE LUP (8:51 PM)**

**Pyro-sis: Ug! Where do you need to go in such a hurry? (8:53 PM)**

**You know McElroy Park? (8:53 PM)**

**Pyro-sis: A park? Dude if this is just about getting ass or grass, I am NOT helping (8:54 PM)**

**Its where Kravitz is jogging (8:55 PM)**

**Pyro-sis: Who? (7:55 PM)**

**[rolling eye emoji] Tall dark and handsome, doofus (8:55 PM)**

**Pyro-sis: So, A: You NEVER TOLD ME HIS NAME DINGUS. And B: You fucking OWE ME (8:57 PM)**

It had taken every bit of willpower to text Kravitz in the first place, and it was taking every bit of willpower now not to jump at every sound as he looked out the window waiting for his sister.

FINALLY Lup showed up and he hustled down the sidewalk.

“Jeez, took you long enough,” he said as he hopped into her Jeep.

She turned bodily in her seat with a glare. “You fucking kidding me with that? Bear and I had just settled in, _if you know what I mean_. You’re lucky I’m here at all.”

“Just kidding, Lulu. Uh, thanks.”

She snorted but put the car into gear and started driving. “So you called him?”

“Texted.” He flicked his fingernails against the soft-top of her Jeep to try and defuse some of his nervous energy. “Believe me: I don’t think he would have picked up if I’d called.”

“And he agreed to just meet you in a park? At night? That’s, like, sketch as fuck.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not like that. He was going for a jog. I told him I’d meet him.”

She appraised his high-waist pink lamé booty-shorts, his off-the-shoulder top, and his platforms. “And you thought you’d join him for a jog in _that_?”

“Taako doesn’t jog. The goal was to look good enough to encourage him to _stop_.”

They rode in silence for a few moments. Then: “So what changed your mind on all this?”

He looked out the window and mumbled.

“Gonna need to speak up, brobro.”

“I want to give it a try, OK?” It wasn’t _that_ much of an admission, as far as admissions went, but for Taako it felt huge.

The twins’ rapport was often harsh, but one thing he always appreciated about Lup was that she knew when to keep it mild (even when he, himself, didn’t). “That’s great, ‘Ko,” she said softly, and squeezed his knee.

“Yeah, well, if it doesn’t work, I’ma need you and Mags to kick Brian’s ass.”

“You talked to Brian?”

“Not ‘cause I wanted to. He waited for me outside of work.” She gave him a concerned look, but he continued with a shrug. “It was fine. He, well, he actually kinda helped.”

“Really?”

“I know, right? Didn’t think it was possible. He’s a bigger fucking mess than I am.” He felt his stomach turn. “He also told me about Krav’s fiancé. Turns out the guy died.”

“Oh. Fuck.” He could see Lup grimace from the corner of his eye.

“Yeah.”

“That’s some heavy shit, ‘Ko. You think that’s something you need to be around?”

He slumped in his seat. “I don’t know. But what I do know is that I can’t stop thinking about the dude, and he’s nice, and you and everyone else say I deserve something nice and that I’m worthy of being loved and all that bullshit so, yeah. Taako’s gonna try. I’m gonna be a big fucking sucker and risk getting hurt on the miniscule chance I could be happy with this guy.”

“Well,” Lup said, nodding slowly. “All right then. Let’s get you to the park.”

Taako couldn’t see Kravitz as they pulled up; McElroy Park had groves of trees and curves in the trail around the lake that obscured the line of sight. “So what now?” she asked.

“To get back to his place, he’ll have to go by that bench,” he said, pointing. “So…” he shrugged and opened the door. “Not that cha’boy needs it, but wish me luck, huh?”

“Sure thing, ‘Ko. Good luck.”

The night wasn’t winter-cold but it was still early-ish spring, and there was definitely a chill to the air. Taako wrapped his arms around himself as he made his way to the bench. He didn’t sit. The experience of cold metal against his asscheeks was not a prospect he relished. So he just kinda tried to appear nonchalant as he stood around and looked for Kravitz.

After a few moments, he saw the man emerge from around a bend in the trail, the lamp overhead highlighting his form. Taako’s breath caught in his throat. Kravitz had obviously seen him, too, based on how his pace slowed a little. But he didn’t stop, or turn around, so Taako felt that was at least one reason to hope.

As Kravitz jogged closer, he slowed to a walk and took out his earbuds.

He was hardly out of breath, even though he’d been going at a pretty good clip, and Taako stuffed down speculation and comments about good stamina. “Hey, thu…ere” Taako started, merging his “thug” into “there” when he decided that dipping into his repertoire of irreverent nicknames might not be the best option at this particular juncture.

Expression impassive, Kravitz’s voice was quiet. “I honestly didn’t think you’d show,” he said, but his stone-faced façade shifted and Taako was reminded of how hurt he’d looked the other night.

“Yeah, well, cha’boy is trying something new: following through. You think it’s a good look on me?” he said and struck a pose, but Kravitz gave no response and Taako’s shoulders sagged.

Silence stretched uncomfortably. Finally, Taako took a deep breath. “Look, maybe this was a bad idea.” Every instinct he had was telling him to get the fuck out. A lifetime of self-preservation instincts all warring against the part of him that wanted to actually give this a try.

To grow.

He gritted his teeth. “Just thought I could tell you some stuff, maybe explain a few things, but if you don’t wanna talk just tell me ‘cause I’m freezing my ass off and if you don’t wanna do this I might as well go home and get into some PJs.”

Kravitz’s stance remained rigid at first, but after a few moments, he pulled off his hoodie and handed it over. “Not sure if you want it, but you can have this if you’re cold. Just be warned, it’s sweaty.”

Shit. Even when it was all awkward and uncomfortable between them, the guy was still caring. And he wasn’t lying, the fleece definitely had a certain humidity to it, but it was warm and Taako hugged it to his chest. “Sit with me?” Taako asked.

“All right.”

Taako wrapped the hoodie around his legs so that his skin didn’t touch the cold metal. He knew he shouldn’t ask but… “Is this the same bench from the other day? The one that saw a little action when we were texting?”

After what felt like a painfully long time, Kravitz finally gave a small sigh. “No. That one is on the other side of the lake.” His gaze was cast out into the darkness. “I specifically avoided going by it tonight.”

“Oh,” Taako said. He wasn’t sure what to say. There was a lot he probably _should_ say and none of it that he _wanted_ to and come on! Couldn’t the guy just throw him a lifeline? Just say something in that dorky-sweet manner of his and easily forgive Taako so that everything could just be OK again?

“Brian told me you went through my stuff,” Kravitz said, and his voice was cold.

Aaaand… that was the exact opposite of what Taako had been hoping for. “Um. Yeah. A little.”

Kravitz turned to look at him, disbelief and hurt and anger all smeared across his face. “What the fuck, Taako?”

Fists balled at his sides, Taako tried to take a breath. OK, he had said he was going to give this a shot. So he’d try. “When we were kids, right? Lup and I? We just kept getting tossed from one place to another. Some shitty distant relative’s house or in foster care or whatever. We didn’t know what was going on a lot of the time. So we got real good at puzzles. Not like jigsaws, but people. ‘Cause if you had enough of an idea about a person, you might be able to tell if they were going to fuck with you. And the only way to figure out the puzzle was to get information.” He said in a rush.

There was a long stretch of silence, and to his credit, the guy seemed to actually listen and take it all in. “I was an only child,” Kravitz finally said. “And I was never really comfortable with people touching my things.” He shifted uncomfortable at Taako’s side. “I have some issues with people not respecting my boundaries.”

“Well…” and oh. This was hard. There were several things that Taako Did. Not. Do. One of them was apologize, but: “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Kravitz nodded eventually. “So, basically, what you’re saying is you went through my place to see if I was a threat.”

“Yeah.”

“And? Am I?”

A borderline hysterical laugh bubbled up to Taako’s lips. “Dude, you’re maybe the biggest threat I’ve ever come up against.”

Kravitz’s brow furrowed. “Taako, I…”

Taako interrupted. “It’s not that I think you’re going to hit me, or cheat on me, or try to _poison me_ for fuck’s sake. _That_ shit is par for the course. Hardly even registers anymore.” He leaned back against the cold metal bars of the bench and it helped ground him a little. “No, you’re way more dangerous ‘cause you’re _not_ like that. And I don’t know how to handle someone who’s not a total asshole.”

The dude’s mouth was hanging open. “ _Poison_ you?”

Of course he’d focus on that. “All part of the tragic backstory. And it’s part of the reason Taako doesn’t really do relationships. Gotta tell you: I’d rather not talk about it at this exact moment, if I’m being honest.”

After a while, Kravitz gave a nod. “All right.”

Taako didn’t know what else to say. He felt exhausted and he shivered.

And then an arm was tentatively wrapping around him and pulling him in. And he was allowing it. He wanted it, even, and he suddenly didn’t feel the need to say anything else.

“Ahem.”

Both of them startled and Taako felt Kravitz tense, pulling him in close... positioning his body between Taako and the interloper.

Almost like he was preparing to protect him?

They looked around, and Taako breathed a sigh of relief. There was Lup, arms crossed over her chest. “Hey, so, don’t get me wrong, it’s been great hanging out in my car, freezing my ass off, but I could be home, warm, watching Star Trek while me and my new hubby get frisky, so, maybe ya’ll can wrap it up?” She turned to Kravitz and stretched out her hand. “Hi. I’m Lup.”

Kravitz looked like a deer in the headlights. After a moment, he stood and shook her hand. “I’m Kravitz. It’s nice to meet you, Lup.”

She looked him up and down then whistled. “I’ll be damned. Merle was right. You _are_ hot.”

Taako groaned. “Thanks for the commentary, LuLu.”

“Just another service I provide.” She smiled. “So, you guys gonna sit here all night? ‘Cause if you are, you’re gonna have to figure out another ride, bro.”

He looked up at Kravitz, who was looking back at him.

“It’s pretty late. I should be getting home,” Kravitz said.

And Taako felt his heart drop. It had seemed like maybe it was going to be OK. “Uh, yeah.”

“…But I can give you a ride to your place, if you want.” Kravitz offered and then turned to Lup. “Since it sounds like Lup here has a pretty full night ahead of her.”

His sister looked divided, and Taako’s twin-senses told him she was looking for an excuse to get back to her wedded bliss, but feeling guilty about leaving him, especially after their heart-to-heart the other day. He got up and walked around the bench. “It’s cool, Loops. Go home to Barry.”

She leaned in and whispered in his ear. “You sure? You think everything is cool?”

“Not sure yet. Maybe? I’ll keep you posted.”

“You better,” she whispered back. She turned to Kravitz and fixed him with a stare. “Text me when you’re home, bro.” Then she did the _I’m watching you,_ “eyes-to-eyes” v-fingers at Kravitz.

“Oh, God, just leave!” Taako said, giving her a shove.

They walked to her Jeep in silence, and after a round of awkward goodbyes and a final kiss on his cheek, Lup drove off.

“So. That’s Lup,” he said as they walked towards Kravitz’s apartment.

“She seems… interesting. In a good way,” he hastily added.

“Well, she is. And she is definitely the twin who has more of her shit together.” He flicked his eyes up at Kravitz. “But I think we can all agree: I’m the hotter one.”

They didn’t say anything for a while as they continued their walk to Kravitz’s place, and Taako was nervous when the guy didn’t make any attempt to hold his hand or put an arm around his shoulders again. The footing was all uncertain and he wasn’t exactly sure where they stood. Still, he was wearing the guy’s hoodie and the dude _had_ held him for a while in the park, so maybe everything would be all right.

To his disappointment, they didn’t go up to Kravitz’s place, and instead traveled down in the elevator to the garage directly.

As they settled into his car, Kravitz put the key in the ignition, but slumped back in his seat before turning it on. “I have to be honest, Taako. I’m kind of at a loss here.”

“That makes two of us, homes,” Taako said. He took a deep breath. “So I know I totally screwed the pooch, yeah? And I totally get that you’re angry and shit. And maybe I can’t fix this, but, well…” He grimaced. “I don’t like the idea of not seeing you again. I...” God, why did it have to hurt so much to admit it? “I like you.”

When he spoke, Kravitz’s voice was quiet. “I like you too, Taako. A lot. And it’s been a really long time since I liked anyone this much.” He sighed. “It sounds like you have some legitimate reasons to be nervous, and I’m not trying to say that your feelings aren’t valid. But at the same time, I’ve got to remember that my feelings are valid, too, and I’m worried that if I say something wrong, or you search through my place again and find something else you don’t like, that you’ll just disappear again. And frankly I don’t know if I can handle that.”

“Well, I’m not sure this will make any difference, but I’ve left a _lot_ of people. And you’re the only person I’ve ever come back to.”

Kravitz appeared to think about it for a minute, then nodded. “OK.”

He started the car and began to drive.

235 Neverwinter Lane never felt so far away in his entire life. Well, maybe one other time. The silence pounded against his eardrums. “Look,” he said, when he couldn’t stand it any longer. “What about we start over? Like a new beginning? I can take you somewhere and… I don’t know. Show you that I’m trying?”

“What did you have in mind?”

Taako bit his lip trying to think. “Well. How ‘bout this: I, uh, well there’s this place. The Chug and Squeeze. It’s kinda fun. You unpop a bottle of vino and you just… make a sculpture out of clay.”

“The _Chug and Squeeze_?”

He couldn’t help the nervous laugh that escaped him. “Yeah, like, you drink and clay goes flying and you end up with an ugly mug or a baby handprint or something.”

To Taako’s relief, Kravitz was smiling, just a little. “So do they just have random babies available to take their handprints?”

The energy shifted and Taako allowed himself to breathe. “Well, you have to pay extra for the use of the baby.”

They pulled up in front of Taako’s house and Kravitz put the car into neutral, turning in his seat to look at him. “All right.”

Taako’s heart gave a squeeze. “‘All right’ as in: ‘All right, we’re here, get the fuck out of my car?’ Or ‘all right’ as in: ‘All right, sure, Taako. Let’s start fresh and get our wine and clay on down at the Chug and Squeeze’?”

Kravitz’s small smile could just barely be seen at the corners of his lips. “I meant the second one, but we are also at your house.”

Taako felt his heart flip in his chest. He clumsily unbuckled the seatbelt with shaking hands. “All right, then,” he said, and before he could overthink, he leaned over and gave Kravitz a kiss on his cheek. “So, just so you know, I’ma return your hoodie at the ‘Squeeze. Gonna hold it hostage in case you try and back out, so if you ever wanna see it again, you gotta show up,” he said. With one last glance at the man behind the wheel, he extricated himself from the car then headed up the steps to his place before Kravitz had time to change his mind.

As he shut the door, he was surprised that Merle was sitting in his recliner, obviously waiting up. The old hippie looked affronted. "What? Didn’t he want to come in?"

Taako had no idea how the little plant-fucker even knew what was going on. He was in too good of a mood to outright lie, though. "Kinda late, you know?" he said, playing it cool.

“You guys gonna give it another shot?"

Taako hesitated. "Maybe."

"Well, he seemed like an OK sort. So I guess I’ll wish you luck." Merle pried himself up out of the well-worn ass-groove in his recliner. "I'm glad you weren't out too late. Dav and I had plans tonight.” He waggled his eyebrows. “You know. Sexy plans."

"Yuck! So fuckin’ gross! I don't want to hear it, old man!" Taako said as he ran up the stairs. Behind him, he could hear Merle laugh.

“Oh you'll be hearing it all right!" He yelled up the stairs before Taako could slam his door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for typos!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chug and Squeeze and Chinese for two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for clicking on this long-overdue chapter. I appreciate you sticking with me on this journey. Also, thank you to everyone who has commented. I can't tell you how much each one means to me. I apologize that it takes me so long to respond to them, but please know I value you reading and commenting! <3

#  **9\. KPV – Chug N Squeeze – 4355**

Clad only in boxer-briefs, Kravitz looked dejectedly into his closet.

What the hell did one wear to a place called “The Chug and Squeeze”?

Looking at the company’s website for the fiftieth time, all it said was “dress in something that you won’t mind getting dirty.” But what about “wear something you won’t mind maybe making a huge mistake in”? Or “be sure to wear closed-toed shoes and a jacket to cover the heart you stupidly keep on your sleeve”?

He felt completely unprepared for this outing.

After their talk in the park, Kravitz knew he had a lot to think about, but since their schedules had never aligned for shit in the past, he figured he’d have at least a week to process all the stuff Taako had said.

He should have expected the universe would laugh at his expectations.

At eight A.M. the next morning, Taako had texted saying he was free Sunday afternoon, and that if Krav was free, would he like to “get his pottery down”.

That Sunday just so happened to be one of the few Kravitz didn’t have to work.

And he couldn’t really think up any good excuse _not_ to go.

So he’d said yes.

One and a half days, though, was not nearly enough time to figure out how he felt about everything.

He was conflicted about the whole situation. On one level, he was ecstatic; he couldn’t deny that he felt a real connection with Taako, and the fact that the two of them had been able to have a meaningful discussion about some pretty heavy topics — without resorting to yelling at each other or to either of them shutting down emotionally — was pretty amazing. It gave him hope that maybe they’d be able to work things out and actually build something beautiful together. 

And if the things that Taako had alluded to had really happened to him, Kravitz guessed he could understand why the man was a bit nervous when it came to relationships.

But another part of him worried that he was being stupid for giving the man another chance. It was bad enough that Taako had just up and left the other night without any explanation, but coupled with the new knowledge that he’d also invaded Kravitz’s privacy was a serious red flag.

Kravitz groaned. “’Seph, am I going to regret this?”

Persephone looked up from where she was cat-napping on his bed, but quickly settled back down since there were apparently no treats forthcoming.

With a groan, he sat down next to her and gave her ear scritches.

Talking with his three closest confidantes, he’d gotten mixed opinions. Brian had been encouraging — citing how he and Klarg were doing really well in spite of Brian’s initial freak-out. But it was a universal truth that people in new relationships always wanted their friends to be in relationships, too, so Kravitz took his advice with a grain of salt.

Raven, on the other hand, had definitely communicated more reservations. She shared Kravitz’s hang-ups about privacy — and had been shocked that Taako would overstep like that — but she had also said that whatever he decided, she would support him.

His third confidante, who was currently curled up in a furry little donut on his bed, had not offered any insight one way or the other.

The problem was, he had really missed Taako. Even though they’d only known each other for a little over a month, the ridiculous man had quickly become a pretty important part of Kravitz’s life. It was just that it had been so many years since he’d felt a giddy flutter in his chest whenever his text message alert sounded. So long since he’d actually looked forward to going outside his comfort zone to try new things with a new person.

Basically ages since he’d even imagined he’d ever share his life intimately with another human being again.

And if he were to judge based solely on the hopeful, charmingly playful, and slightly self-deprecating texts he’d received from Taako since their meeting in the park, he could imagine, perhaps, just maybe, that Taako felt the same way.

With a resolute shift to his shoulders, he made the decision. He would give it another shot. With renewed purpose, he stood and mentally prepared himself to figure out his outfit.

Looking up at the clock sent a cold shiver down his spine, though. Shit! How had it gotten so late?! He frantically scrounged through an old box of clothes he kept for when he helped Raven and Izzy do yard word, finally settling on an old t-shirt he had forgotten he even owned, and a pair of faded black jeans with the start of a hole in one knee.

But as he was running out of the bedroom, he grabbed a blazer, because that was just how he rolled.

Now, there he was, in an outfit that was probably both too formal and too casual at the same time, without having had anything to eat pretty much all day, circling the block looking for a place to park.

When he _finally_ rushed past the sandwich board that proclaimed it “Cab and Vase Day”, and saw his date looking around with a concerned expression — only to brighten up the moment he saw him come through the door — he had to admit that some of his misgivings eased.

“So goth-boy _does_ own casual threads,” Taako teased, an undercurrent of nerves in his voice.

Even the teasing made him feel lighter. “You’ve seen me in workout clothes.”

“And I’ve never seen more formal looking exercise duds in my life.” Taako leaned over to grab two clear plastic glasses of wine, one almost half gone already. “Wine?”

Kravitz took it. “I do like wine,” he said, feeling asinine at the stupidity of what he’d just said — of _course_ he liked wine, they’d established that at their dinner! — but he was still a little nervous, and his mouth was dry from the way he’d rushed to get to the place as close to on time as he could, so he downed it.

“Thirsty boy, huh?” Taako said, refilling both of their glasses, then looked away, and Kravitz noticed that his hands were shaking. “Anyway. We should probably get working, huh? Amateur pottery ain’t gonna make itself.”

Kravitz regarded the mound of clay on the wheel in front of him. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that his attempts at sculpting would be a disaster. He drank some more wine and tried to follow the instructions that were being shown on some overhead TVs. Wetting his hands, he started the wheel and attempted to form the clay as demonstrated.

For being an inanimate lump, though, it sure had a mind of its own. It fought him at every turn, and each time it came off in his hands, he found himself cursing and drinking more wine.

“Gotta say: For a little while I thought you weren’t gonna show.”

The voice at his shoulder startled Kravitz from his concentration and he put a dent in the side of the cylinder he’d finally managed to coax out of the clay. He looked at Taako earnestly. “I wouldn’t do that.”

Taako shrugged, keeping his eyes on his own wheel. “Yeah, well, like I said: I’m just more used to dealing with assholes than decent dudes.”

They went back to their wheels. While it wasn’t really on his shoulders, he wanted to break the tension. “I’m a little surprised that you suggested this place,” felt like neutral enough conversational topic.

“Well, I thought about asking you to go fishing with me, but…”

Kravitz couldn’t help but peer at him incredulously. “ _You_ _fish_?”

Taako gave him a haughty glare. “Yes, Taako fishes. Gays _can_ fish, Krav.”

“It’s not…!” He gave an aggrieved sigh. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

The offended glare melted into a cheeky smile. “Sure. Sure. I bet you took one look at ol’ Taako and thought: ‘Oh, I bet that gorgeous vision of a man has never baited his own hook, let alone even _seen_ a pair of waders.’ Well, I’ll have you know. I _rock_ waders.” He gave an exaggerated wink. “But none of that camo green for me. Bright purple, baby.”

The mental image was hilarious, and there was no use denying it: Kravitz was charmed. “I’d love to see that.”

“Yeah, well. Maybe some day, huh? If all this doesn’t go horribly wrong?” Taako turned back to his clay, studiously avoiding eye contact. “I still can’t believe you agreed to this. You know. Not just this.” He held up his clay covered hands. “I mean the whole thing. Don’t know if many dudes would have given it another chance.”

“Well, I wasn’t sure I wanted to.” He rubbed a hand over the bridge of his nose. “I'm just trying to make sense of all this, because like, I've never... I've never known anyone who has sort of bent the laws of what I expect as much as you have.” He drank some more wine. “I guess I'm just trying to understand what makes you so special,” he said, shaking his head.

…

Oh. Shit!

The words had sneaked out of his mouth before he even had a chance to think about it. He bit his lip as he saw the unintended — but honest — compliment land. Taako bit his lip, looking coy. “Well, I’m for sure not just a regular…” he blew a raspberry “Joe Pasta.”

“No. Definitely not a ‘Joe Pasta’.”

The brunette’s dark eyes were so earnest. “You’re not a Joe Pasta, either, Krav.”

“Uh. Thanks.” They looked at each other for a long moment and Kravitz felt his heart thudding throughout his body. He needed to diffuse the situation. He looked down at Taako’s wheel. “Your bowl looks… great.”

Taako preened. “Natch.”

Kravitz looked down at his own clay in despair. “How does your bowl look great?”

One of the employees stormed over to them, glaring at Taako. “Hey, it's vase day! Cab and Vase! Can’t you read? No bowls!”

“Oh, yeah, cool. Let me reshape it.” Taako turned back and massaged the clay down, only to reform his bowl as soon as the guy’s back was turned. “Can’t tell _me_ what to do,” he muttered. “Taako does what Taako wants. I’m not going to let him chain _my_ fuckin’ muse.”

Perhaps it was because of the wine, but the words hit Kravitz right in the gut, and he couldn’t hold in a loud, snorting laugh. He immediately felt mortified that such an embarrassing noise had escaped him.

To his relief, though, Taako didn’t look mortified at being in his company at all. Instead, he was gazing at him softly. “I like when I can make you laugh.”

Smile feeling just a bit lopsided on his tingling lips, he responded. “I like your renegade spirit.”

Taako leaned over, just bordering on seductive. “You want some help with that, homie?”

“Uh.”

And then Taako scooted over and placed his hands on top of Kravitz’s. “Yep. Still clammy.” He muttered, but he didn’t pull back, instead pressing his thigh against Kravitz’s and leaning right into his space.

“Is this where I make a joke about Unchained Melody?” Kravitz asked.

“Would you have preferred I imitate Brian’s no doubt shitty rendition of “In Your Eyes”?”

“No, this is…” he cleared his throat. “This is good.”

Taako looked up at him. “Yeah?” And the question was about more than clay or late 80s/early 90s movies.

Kravitz’s heart squeezed. “Yeah.”

And maybe it was stupid, maybe he was more drunk than he thought, but before he could think, he was leaning in, kissing Taako lightly and briefly on the corner of his mouth. When he leaned back, a blush was spread across the man’s delightfully freckled cheeks, and Taako ducked his head.

“You keep distracting me like that, dude, and you’re not gonna have a vase to take home. And then what will ‘your cat knock over and break?”

Kravitz sighed. “I guess we’d better focus, then.”

Keeping his mind on task, though, turned out to be difficult, especially as the wine sloshed around in his growling stomach and Taako continued to be in such close proximity. And no: it wasn’t totally the same carefree vibe they’d had between them before, but there was just something about Taako’s company that made him lightheaded and fluttery, and even though he felt they’d need to talk more seriously at some point, for the time being he just allowed himself to enjoy the moment.

Together they finally managed to get his clay to vaguely resemble a vase, but when he looked over at where Taako was putting the finishing touches on his bowl, he was astounded. “I can’t believe yours turned out so good.”

“Well, Taako’s got skills.” Holding his bowl up right in front of the “cab and vase” guy, he smirked. “There's never been a better bowl than this, it's fucking tasteful and rad.”

Kravitz laughed at the audacity and at the stodgy employee’s grumbling reaction. “So, you must have made pottery before,” he said as they went back to their seats.

“Took a bunch of classes in college. Hadn’t done any for years, but Ango…” He stopped suddenly, looking extremely uncomfortable. Biting his lip, a few moments passed, but then he appeared to make a decision. “Angus. The kid I hang out with sometimes? He and I have come here once or twice for their kids’ afternoon sessions. Except with grape juice, you know, instead of wine.”

With what Brian had said about Taako being reticent to divulge anything about himself, Kravitz knew it probably meant a lot for the man to say even that much, and Taako’s effort to share about himself made his heart feel warm. “He’s lucky to have someone like you.”

Taako shrugged. “Yeah, well, the only adult worth a shit I had in my life when I was his age was an aunt that Lup and I lived with a couple years. She’d try to give us fun things to do, but she was old and poor, so options were limited.” He shrugged and looked away. “I wanna give Django a bit more variety than just cooking and sewing.”

And there was another glimpse into his past. The sharing of something personal. “Thanks for telling me, Taako. I get that it’s not easy for you.”

“No. It’s really not. But I’m trying, right?”

“I appreciate it,” he said, and yeah, there was more they’d have to discuss, but right now? He took Taako’s hand and squeezed it. And Taako squeezed back. “So, is it your aunt who taught you to cook?”

“Yeah. Nothing gourmet, but she was _really_ good. Like I said, she was poor, but she’d make things that tasted amazing from pretty much _nothing_. Her kibbeh? There has never been any as good as hers. Amazing. And she could fucking _bake_ like you wouldn’t believe. She made _sufganiyot_ so light it practically _floated_.” He fixed Kravitz with an assessing glance. “You said you don’t cook, so maybe you don’t realize this, but baking is straight up chemistry, right? Well, she’d be missing, like, half the normal ingredients, but she knew what they contributed chemically to a recipe, and she’d just figure that shit out like it was _nothing_.”

“That’s amazing,” he said, and the way Taako described it, it _sounded_ amazing. “I’d be a terrible baker; chemistry was probably my weakest subject,” Kravitz admitted.

A pause stretched between them, and he suddenly realized they were still holding hands, their pulses drumming against each other’s fingertips. “Oh, I don’t know, Krav,” Taako said, his voice low and a little breathy. “I think _our_ chemistry is pretty God-damned amazing,” Taako said, and, _oh_...

The whole afternoon had been very guarded — fun and playful and light… and very G-rated — neither of them certain of where they stood. But now, as Taako looked up at him with smoldering eyes, Kravitz found his mouth going dry.

“Taako?!” a shout from across the room broke the moment.

With their session ending, the next class of people was coming in, and two women were walking towards them. “Taako! I thought it was you!”

“Carey,” Taako squeaked, and Kravitz could feel the shift in energy, could tell that Taako wanted to pull away. But after the initial twitch, he squeezed Kravitz’s hand even harder. “Killian. Hey.”

The two women smiled brightly, casting covert glances between the two and their joined hands. Taako didn’t seem inclined to say anything, so he thought he should introduce himself. “Hi, I’m Kravitz,” he said, offering a slightly awkward wave.

“Hi, Kravitz,” the shorter one said. “It’s nice to mee…”

“ThisisKravitzhe’smyboyfriend,” Taako almost yelled, his cheeks flushed and a slightly manic glint in his eye.

Kravitz’s heart stopped.

 _Boyfriend_.

The two women looked slightly bemused. “Hey, that’s great!” Killian said. “Would love to talk with you guys more, but we’d probably better find seats before class starts.” She gave Kravitz a playful punch on the shoulder, that practically knocked him out of his seat. “It was nice meeting you. We gonna see you at game night, Taak?”

His companion just nodded and the two women made their way to their wheels.

Standing in silence, hands still clenched and nervous energy surging between them, Kravitz couldn’t ignore the proverbial elephant in the room any longer.

“Boyfriend?”

The brunette looked at him with squinted eyes. “Ye-ah, um,” Taako’s voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “Uh, that’s what I said. You got a problem with that, buster?” he said, the sassy tone betrayed by the unevenness of his voice and the fearful look in his eyes.

Kravitz had to take a moment to think: Was he OK with it? A couple of days ago, the answer would have been no. But every time he talked or spent time with Taako, he had fun. The conversation was always easy and interesting; they had good rapport; and Taako was right: they had incredible chemistry.

And Taako was obviously making an effort — trying to navigate unfamiliar ground to the best of his ability. Attempting to make up for the mistakes he’d made.

Maybe he’d come to regret it, but… “No. I guess I don’t have a problem with that,” Kravitz said.

“Well, good.” Taako said, then pulled him down to give him a firm, lingering kiss.

They were interrupted by a gruff voice. “All right, gimme your vase and… bowl,” the grumpy employee said. Blushing like teenagers, they sheepishly handed over their pieces. “Thank you for coming to the Chug and Squeeze. You’ll be able to pick up your pieces next week. Have a Chug-tastic day,” he finished... and Kravitz had never heard anything sound so much like “get the fuck out” than that.

They disentangled and he pulled his jacket around his clay-spattered, but thankfully dry, clothes. He reached into the pocket of his coat for his keys, but they fell from his fingers. “Shit.”

“You OK, babe?”

He bent over to pick them up and the room spun a bit disconcertingly as he stood back up. He braced himself against the wall. “I didn’t really eat anything today. I guess the wine is hitting me a little harder than Iexpected.”

“Oh, then, I should probably take these from you,” Taako said, snatching the keys from Kravitz’s loose grasp.

“I wasn’t going to drive drunk. I can call a cab” He grimaced. “Shit. I parked at a two-hour meter.”

“Well, how ‘bout I drive? I stopped with the wine before you did and TeeBeeAitch, Taako has been stress-eating like crazy so there was plenty to soak up the vino.”

The prospect made him incredibly nervous. He was really protective of his car, so he settled on the objection that he thought would be the least offensive. “Can you drive a stick?”

“Oh, handsome, you _know_ I can drive a stick.”

Kravitz could feel himself blush. “Uh…”

Taako rolled his eyes. “Yes, Krav, I can handle a manual transmission.”

“Uh. All right.”

His mind spun as they walked to his car. Did Taako have a license? Did he have outstanding violations? Did he speed or tailgate?

They arrived at his parking spot and Taako made a big deal of opening the passenger’s side door for him, his smile so danged cheeky that Kravitz couldn’t help but match it in spite of his anxiety. His nerves resurged, though, when the first thing Taako did after he put the keys in the ignition was to start messing with the radio.

“Taako?”

“Driver gets to choose the tunes, dude. It’s the rule of the road.” He settled on something that was no doubt very popular at the moment, but was a bit too bubbly in Kravitz’s ears. The car started.

“Oh, this is nice,” Taako said, settling in and making all sorts of adjustments to the seat’s positioning. He did the same to the rearview mirrors.

It took long enough that Kravitz started to wonder if he was stalling for some reason.

“You do know how to drive, right?” The words escaped Kravitz’s mouth before he could stop them.

“Oh my god! Yes, Krav, I know how to drive.” He rolled his eyes. “I was a great driver until they took my license away.” At Kravitz’s badly disguised whimper, he laughed. “I’m just joking, homie. The only reason I don’t drive is ‘cause I can’t afford a car right now. Anyway, in this city, you don’t really need your own wheels. Now, in New Ellington, they had shit for public transportation. Of course, they had shit for pretty much everything, really.”

“You lived in New Ellington?”

Taako looked distinctly uncomfortable. “Uh. Yeah. Grew up there. But I don’t have a lot of great memories, so don’t ask me for recs if you’re planning a trip.” He revved the engine. “All right, hold on to the “ohshit” handle ‘cause here we go!”

In spite of Kravitz’s concerns, and Taako’s jokes, he was actually a decent driver. He left reasonable space from the car in front of them, and he kept his speed within eight or so miles of the limit. Even better, he didn’t once stall out or grind the gears.

Kravitz was infinitely relieved.

“Here,” he said, leaning over Taako once they got to the entrance of the parking garage, waving his wallet against the reader to lift the gate. He lost his balance a bit when he tried to straighten up, though, and his steadying hand landed high on Taako’s thigh. When he regained his balance and went back to his seat, Taako was looking a little pale.

“Um, sorry,” Kravitz said.

“Heh. Ahem. No sweat, my man,” he said as he drove through and found Kravitz’s parking spot. “So, uh, I’ll call someone to…”

“I might’ve mentioned I haven’t really eaten anything today,” Kravitz interrupted in a rush. “I was thinking of ordering Chinese.”

“Oh?”

“And I always order too much for just me.”

Taako bit his lip. “Are you inviting me up?”

Maybe it was a mistake. Or maybe he was still too drunk to make good decisions. “Yes,” he said, before he could stop himself.

Taako pretended to think it over. “OK, but only if you let me smash your fortune cookie.”

“I really hope that isn’t a euphemism.”

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and find out.”

Unlike the last time they were in his elevator, they didn’t kiss. Nor did they hold hands as they walked down the hall to his door. His fingers fumbled the keys but he eventually got it unlocked.

Being a bit inebriated, it took him a little longer to unlace his trainers. Time to work on his boundaries. “Do you mind…” he started, looking up, but to his surprise Taako was suddenly a few inches shorter. “You took off your shoes,” he said, surprised.

“I guess you _can_ teach a hot, young dog new tricks after all,” his guest said, giving Kravitz a playful shove. Kravitz caught his hand and pulled it to his chest. The feeling of Taako’s hot fingertips through the threadworn fabric of his t-shirt halted his breath. Taako looked up at him, eyes wide and pupils dilating. He licked his lips.

Some part of Kravitz’s mind knew picking up where they’d left of was probably not a great idea, but it was a small part and was being drowned-out by the cacophonous, alcohol-heightened desire pounding in his ears. Without a further thought, he pressed forward and kissed him, weaving his fingers into Taako’s highlighted hair. Taako responded with enthusiasm, pressing himself flush and wrapping his arms around his neck. But before Kravitz was anywhere near ready to let the embrace end, Taako pulled back.

“Krav, baby, hold up,” he said, breath coming in small gasps. “Look, I totally want this, like, _really_ badly, but you’re kinda drunk and I don’t want you sobering up later and thinking I took advantage of you.”

“It didn’t seem like a little drunkenness was going to bother you when we first met.” He leaned in and whispered into Taako’s ear. “You know, when you were going to suck my dick in the men’s room.”

Taako groaned “Shit, dude, I’m already holding onto this whole “decent human being” thing by a thread. You absolutely cannot make it harder for me by talking dirty.” He placed a fingertip against Kravitz’s already moving lips. “And I will also not allow you to double-entendre my use of the word “harder” right there.”

“But…”

“But nothing. Blowing some rando drunk in a club is what you do with a one-night stand. Not a “B” word.”

Kravitz felt his brow furrow. “Bitch?”

Taako rolled his eyes. “Boyfriend. Jesus dude. You really are out of it, huh? Remind me to never let you drink on an empty stomach again.”

“In my defense, “boyfriend” is not the usual term intended when someone says “b-word.”” He tilted his head. “And are you saying us being boyfriends means I can never expect a semi-public blow job now? Because I might need to rethink this if that’s the case.”

Taako groaned and gently pushed Kravitz away. “No, it doesn’t mean that… and… arg. You know what? Let’s just get you some food, huh? Before I change my mind?”

For a moment Kravitz just stood there surprised, but he eventually shook himself out of his shock. “I, uh, I usually order from Shangri-La Bistro. I’ll see if I can find their takeout menu.”

Taako went over to sit on the couch. “No need, m’man. Taako always gets the sesame shrimp.”

“OK.” Kravitz unlocked his phone. “If you like shrimp, you should get the spring roll, too. Brain says they’re really good.”

“Fuck yeah. And crab cheese wantons?”

“Sure.”

Kravitz ate a few crackers to absorb some of the wine as he worked on placing the order, covertly glancing over to where Taako was sprawled on his couch. Again, to Kravitz’s surprise, Persephone had bee-lined directly to the man and jumped into his lap. He could see Taako whispering to her, but couldn’t quite make out the words as he gave his order and chatted a bit with Mei, who knew him by pretty well after all the orders he’d placed. When she put him on hold, though, he could finally make out Taako’s words.

“What do you think, beautiful?” he asked quietly as he gave ‘Seph head skritches. “Think Taako is gonna be able to salvage this? Stop himself from being an asshole and be a decent dude for a change? Hm?”

The earnestness of his words struck Kravitz’s heart.

“It should be here in about 30 minutes,” he said after he hung up, drawing the other man’s attention away from the cat with a start.

“Oh. Cool.”

Kravitz nodded. “Also, I caught a glimpse of myself in the microwave’s reflection. You didn’t tell me I was covered in clay.”

Taako shrugged with a smile. “I thought it kinda looked good on you.”

He rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m going to take a shower.” He peered earnestly at his guest, a twinge in his stomach. “Think you’ll be here when I get out?”

Taako flinched just a little, then looked down at the cat in his lap who was still trying to mark every part of him with her scent. “Well, if I understand cats at all, I belong to ‘Seph, now, so I don’t think I can go anywhere? That’s cat rules, right?”

Kravitz felt his chest squeeze. “Yeah. That’s cat rules.”

“Well, then go get your suds on, handsome. I’ll be here.”

* * * * * * * * * *

He heard the door close to Kravitz’s bedroom, and even though he probably could have found out all sorts of additional information from more time poking through Krav’s stuff, Taako stayed put.

“See ‘Seph? I can totally do this,” he said — fidgeting, looking around, drumming his fingers on the arm of the couch, tapping his foot. “No sweat.”

Well, the whole thing could have gone way worse, that was for sure. All day he’d expected Kravitz either to cancel or just not show… and then when he was late? Shit. Taako had felt like the biggest fucking loser, surrounded by all the happy, in-love couples at the ‘Chug and Squeeze’ while he sat there, alone, with a half-empty glass of wine and his heart in his hand.

But then Kravitz had arrived! Looking handsome as ever, with those soft eyes and self-deprecating smiles, out of breath because he still cared about keeping his word and being a decent guy even after all that had happened.

And sure, it had felt disjointed for a while, but before long they were joking and talking almost like the whole mess hadn’t even happened. He never would have expected it. Just like he sure as shit hadn’t expected Kravitz to let him drive his car. Or invite him up for dinner…

Or the kisses. He definitely hadn’t expected the kisses. Hadn’t expected the dirty talk, either. And boy howdy it had been a challenge not to just rip those clay-splattered clothes off of that boy and do him right there in the entryway.

He very consciously stopped that particular line of thought. It wouldn’t do to have certain physical reactions disrupt ‘Seph now that she’d _finally_ settled down in his lap.

So yeah. The whole thing had ended up being way better than he’d been dreading.

Now there he was, sitting there patiently while a gorgeous man was naked in the shower not 20 feet away from him, and all he had to do was try not to lose his goddamned mind.

To his hyperactive brain’s relief, though, it wasn’t long before there was a knock at the door, and after gently scooting out from under the cat and looking through the peephole, he saw it was their food.

Opening the door, the woman’s expression quickly went from friendly expectation to shocked surprise. “You’re not Mr. Kravitz.”

“Uh. Nope.”

The woman blinked her eyes. “Or Mr. Brian.”

“Also nope, and thank God for that.” She laughed a little and they kinda stood there awkwardly for a moment, looking at each other from across the threshold. Should he introduce himself? It felt weird to introduce himself, but she seemed to know other people in Krav’s life so maybe he should? She was looking at him expectantly. He went for it. “I’m Taako. Kravitz is, um, busy right now.”

A smile blossomed on her face. “I’m Mei. It’s nice to meet you.” She started to hand the bag over, then hesitated. “So, you’re a _close_ friend of Mr. K’s, right?”

“Well, I’m working on it.”

After a beat, she nodded. “I guess I can let you can sign for him, then.”

“Yeah, sure, uh, hold on.” He dipped into his pocket for some cash, handing over a few wadded-up bills. “So, he orders a lot from you guys, huh?”

“At least once a week.”

He signed the receipt. “Well, maybe I’ll be seeing you soon, then.”

Her smile was gentle. “That would be nice.” She gave him a wink. “Good luck, and tell Mr. Kravitz that Mei said “hello”.”

“Will do.”

He took the bag of food and debated his options. Should he set dinner up on the breakfast bar? In the small dining area? They both felt too formal, so he settled on unpacking the various items on the coffee table.

In other circumstances he would have looked for plates, but he thought that digging around, even just in the kitchen, might not be the best idea after all that had happened.

Instead, he sat himself down on the floor, and as soon as he was settled in, ‘Seph crawled into his lap again. He gave a sigh and rubbed between her ears. Looked like he was just going to be a cat cushion all night.

“Oh, wow, that came fast.”

“That’s what _he_ sai…” he started, but his words ran dry when he looked up to find Kravitz coming out of the bedroom, still drying his locks with an (unsurprisingly) black towel, and wearing a skin tight tank top and black silk pajama bottoms.

Taako’s mouth was suddenly the Sahara.

“Uh, yeah. Super fast.” He gave a nervous laugh and quickly looked back down to the cat in his lap. “Um, your girl sure is a snuggler, huh?”

“That’s just it. She usually isn’t.” Kravitz walked over, leaning down to scratch her head. Taako resolutely kept his glance down at ‘Seph to keep from staring the guy right in the junk. “You want a plate? Something to drink? I think I’m done with alcohol for the night, but if you want something...”

“Taako’s cool with water. And I’ll take a bowl.”

Kravitz returned with two glasses of water and two bowls, then sat cross-legged next to him.

They dished up their food and Kravitz rubbed his chopsticks together to remove any splinters, very clearly avoiding eye contact. “So. Sorry I came on a bit strong earlier.”

Taako shook his head. “Not even a thing, my dude.” He took a bite of the spring roll and, wow, yeah, that was actually pretty good. “Though I‘m gonna admit, it was pretty fuckin’ hard not to let that all just take its course, just so you know.”

“Yeah, I know. But thanks for stopping me.”

“Sure.” He took a bite of his sesame shrimp and it was pretty damned baller, too. He’d have to see if this place delivered to his shitty part of town.

“So,” Kravitz cleared his throat. “You know, we didn’t actually end up talking about anything today.”

“You noticed that, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn. I thought you were maybe drunk enough not to catch it.”

Kravitz sighed. “Taako, I’m interested in giving this another chance. I feel like there’s something here…”

“I feel it too,” Taako interrupted.

But Kravitz continued. “… but I can’t just pretend like nothing happened. I used to do that a lot and it… it almost killed me.”

Lip bitten between his teeth, Taako grimaced. “Yeah. So here’s the thing: Taako doesn’t really do emotions, so…”

The energy between them shifted and Kravitz’s face turned stern. “Well, _Taako_ is going to need to if he wants to give this a try.”

He huffed. “You wanna let me finish?”

A beat, then Kravitz nodded.

“Thank you. Now, as I was saying: Taako isn’t great with the whole emotions thing. But,” he bit his lip so hard he thought it might bleed. “I missed you. It seriously sucked not being able to talk to you for a week. And look, I get it. That’s on me. I know. But like, you gotta understand; I’ve kinda worked my entire life not to care about other people. ‘Cause if you don’t care, you won’t get hurt, right?”

Kravitz’s voice was soft, almost sounding defeated. “It doesn’t work that way.”

“No. It doesn’t,” Taako whispered, looking away. “So, I’ma be real honest here, babe. Taako’s kinda fucked up, and I....”

Putting his chopsticks down, Kravitz place a hand over his and stopped the manic flow of words. “Taako?”

He absolutely didn’t want to make eye contact, but the silence lingered and he finally looked up. “Yeah?”

“You’re not fucked up.”

The laugh that escaped him was borderline hysterical. “Oh, babe, that’s cute, but you have absolutely no idea.” He wiped away the moisture gathering at the corner of his eyes. “Let me just give you a few highlights, huh?” he started ticking off items on his fingers. “One: I can barely hold down a job, and in the months I can’t pay all my bills my sister has to bail me out. Two: I’ve only had one, real romantic relationship, ever, and it was a fuckin’ nightmare. Three: I don’t recycle. Four: I have night terrors so bad I wake up my roommates. Five: I still make prank calls even though I’m technically an adult. Six: I’m fucking smart but couldn’t make it through college ‘cause I’m also lazy as shit. Seven: I don’t vote. Eight: I steal stuff that I don’t even want because I just can’t stop myself. Nine: If I don’t take my pills, I literally cannot get out of bed. And…” he searched his mind for an item number ten. “And Ten: I don’t floss enough.” Somewhere in the middle of his spiel, the tears that had originally been shed in fake mirth had turned to despair. “Doesn’t that just sound like the kinda trainwreck you wanna hitch your wagon to?”

Kravitz scooted closer, gently brushing the tears away. “I’ll admit: that’s a pretty good list. Want to hear some of mine?” He started counting things down on his own fingers. “One: I get up early on Sundays just so I can passive-aggressively trash my neighbor’s newspaper before he wakes up instead of confronting him about the shitty, homophobic comments he makes about me. Two: I haven’t talked to my father in eighteen years. Three: If I’m ever around cake, I only eat the frosting and I just dump the actual cake. Four: When you asked if I smoke, and I said I didn’t, that was _partially_ a lie. Five: I exercise until I can barely move sometimes because it’s pretty much the only way I can calm my anxiety. Six: I used to have a pretty serious gambling problem, and I have to be really careful to not fall back into it. Seven: There was a long time when I couldn’t get out of bed without pills, too. Eight: Sometimes, I eat cold ravioli right out of the can.” He took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the finger that indicated he was at item number nine. “Nine: Seven years ago, my fiancé died, and I haven’t dated or had sex since… And Ten: I don’t floss enough, either.”

Taako looked up at him, and saw that his eyes were also glistening with unshed tears.

Kravitz continued, his voice choked. “So, we’ve got some shit we’re working through. I guess that just proves we’re human.”

Offering up a watery smile, Taako shook his head. “I don’t know, man. Eating cold ravioli right out of the can strikes me as some straight up alien shit.”

There was a pause, then, to his relief, Kravitz laughed. “Yeah. Maybe. But at least _I_ recycle.”

Taako laughed, too, and let his head fall to Kravitz’s shoulder. The man wrapped his arm around him and pulled him in close. Between them, Persephone purred.

Fuck, it was hard. Life was hard. But in that moment, being held by the decent, caring guy next to him felt like the easiest fuckin’ thing in the world.

“So, seven years, huh?” he finally asked.

“Yeah.”

“And Taako was the one you were finally gonna go to bone town with?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn, dog. That’s… pretty flattering.”

“Well, as you yourself have mentioned on occasion: you’re ‘hot as fuck’, so…” Kravitz shrugged.

“Still, thug, that’s enough to seriously inflate a guy’s ego.” Even with the levity, a weight was still heavy in his chest. “It makes what I did especially shitty, huh?”

“I’m not going to lie; it was a pretty miserable experience to go through.”

“Yeah.” He let out a deep breath. “No wonder you wanted to take everything slow.” He scrunched up his face. “Look, what I’m about to say doesn’t make what I did OK, but you gotta understand, you’ve been really nice to me, which: fine. Great. Shouldn’t be a problem, right? Except that all my life, people have only ever been nice to me when they wanted something. Especially the guys I’ve been with. Whenever a dude has been all sweet, it’s _always_ turned out to be manipulative; just so that I’d do stuff for them. Or so that I’d let them do stuff _to_ _me_. And the nicest guy I was ever with? _He put me in the_ _ICU_.” Taako took a breath to calm the wave of nausea that threatened to overtake him as he remembered Sazed. “So having you be all nice raises all these red flags, and while part of my brain is trying to convince myself that it’s OK, that you really are just that decent, the other part is still freaking and telling me to get the hell out.”

Kravitz held him a little tighter. “I’m not really sure what to say, Taako. I’m incredibly sorry that you’ve had those experiences. And I’m here if you want to talk about any of it.” He sighed. “But I guess I’m even more sorry to tell you that I don’t think I can just start being an asshole in order to not trigger those red flags.”

He buried his head into the crook of Kravitz’s neck. “Damn. And here that would have _obviously_ been the perfect solution.”

“Well, since that one is off the table, do you have any other ideas?”

The silence went on for a long time; then finally: “I’m not sure.”

“Want me to make a suggestion?”

“All right.”

“Talk to me? Instead of just disappearing? It’s just a thought, but maybe if you tell me what it is you’re feeling or thinking, I could explain what’s going on in _my_ head and you might see that all I want from you is your company.”

He sniffled. “God, you are such a fucking sap.”

“But a sap with a good idea?”

He thought about it. “I guess we can give it a try.” Taako sighed. “You’ll be patient?”

“Of course,” Kravitz replied. “And I hope you’ll be patient with me. But for right now.” He stood up and offered a hand to help Taako to his feet. “I can’t be patient any more because my ass is painfully asleep from sitting on the floor.”

Taako offered a smile. “Same here,” he said as he took Krav’s hand and hoisted himself to standing. “Are we cool?”

Kravitz gave him one of those ridiculously sweet smiles. “Well, we’re definitely on the road to being cool,” he said, then leaned in.

It was a gentle kiss; not the kind of kiss that lead to anything else. Just a soft press of lips. Still, when Kravitz leaned back, Taako found himself following the movement.

Kravitz took a deep breath. “I’m going to clean the food up, OK?”

“OK.”

“And then I’m going to watch something mindless on TV.”

“All right.”

“Do you want to pick out some pajamas and join me?”

Taako nodded slowly. “That sounds great. But first.” He leaned over, grabbed the fortune cookies, then dropped them on the table. “So, that one’s pointing to you, so it’s yours.”

Kravitz nodded warily. “All right.

“Excellent.” Taako balled his fist and smashed it.

“Hey!”

He was unapologetic. “You said I could smash your cookie earlier.”

“Fine. But I get to smash yours.”

“Oh, baby, you can smash my cookie any time you like,” he said with a wink, but he knew the time wasn’t right for being too intimate, so he didn’t make any moves, instead giving an elaborate hand gesture towards the un-crushed cookie.

They shared a smile, and then Kravitz brought his palm down onto the package. He had barely even lifted his hand before Taako was scrambling for it. “OK,” he said, opening the package and digging for the slip of paper. “Fortune cookie says: Because of your melodic nature, the moonlight never misses an appointment… _between the sheets._ ”

Kravitz gave a laugh. “What does that even mean?”

“Who the hell knows?! Ancient wisdom rarely makes sense.” He handed Kravitz the other cookie. “Your turn.”

“OK: Flattery will get you far.” Taako made the ‘go on’ gesture and Kravitz rolled his eyes. “…between the sheets.”

“Imagine that,” Taako enthused. “A fortune cookie that is 100% true.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this long-overdue chapter. I appreciate you sticking with me on this journey. Also, thank you to everyone who has commented. I can't tell you how much each one means to me. I apologize that it takes me so long to respond to them, but please know I value you reading and commenting! <3  
> (This whole sharing/communicating thing is probably some wish fulfillment on my part, but I hope it rings true with these two adorable chucklef*cks)  
> As per usual: apologies for typos!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has liked and commented (and just read this monster in general)! I apologize for typos, but, as per usual, its not beta'd, so I appreciate your patience!

Kravitz woke up slowly. He was achy, which wasn’t that odd, but this morning he was achy in a way he wasn’t used to, and when he tried to stretch, a flare of panic ran through him as he realized he couldn’t move.

His eyelids flew open and he tried not to panic.

Oh.

_Oh…_

A smile spread across his lips as he realized the reason he was immobile.

Draped completely over him was a bed-head-crowned, drooling, snoring, _beautiful_ man.

The previous day came flooding back, and he couldn’t help the lovestruck expression that settled on his face.

His heart warmed as he remembered how their wine and pottery date had lead to dinner and talking. He felt fluttery as he thought of how he’d helped Taako find a pair of sweats and a tee-shirt that weren’t too snug, (and then virtuously turning his back while the man changed, but _maybe_ peeking just a little) and digging through his cabinets and finding one of the toothbrushes his dentist always insisted on giving him. He had to stifle back a laugh recalling as they’d washed their faces and he’d learning about Taako’s ridiculously time-consuming nightly beauty routine but agreeing that it was hard to argue against it when the end result was such perfection. And, of course, he’d been laughed at in turn as he went through his own ridiculous nightly routine of dreadlock care.

Ready for bed, the two had then gone back out to the main room. Laying lengthwise across the couch, he’d been squished deep into the back cushions as Taako teetered precariously in front of him. But, it had given him the perfect excuse to wrap his arm around Taako and hold him close… you know, to keep him from falling off.

Wink.

So, they’d spent hours mindlessly watching TV, with his chin on top of the shorter man’s head, smelling the citrus and rosemary scent of Taako’s hair, and snuggling.

He’d forgotten how amazing snuggling was.

Of course, left to his own devices, Kravitz probably wouldn’t have chosen to watch a cooking show all night, but with Taako’s added commentary, the British baking program they’d streamed had turned out to be surprisingly uplifting and funny. And then, after he didn’t know how many hours, they’d woken up to the judgmental “are you still watching” screen with his body protesting the angle of his neck and Taako having endearingly drooled on the armrest of his couch.

There had been a brief discussion about their options; should he take Taako home? Should Taako call a friend to pick him up? A cab? But eventually it became clear that neither of them wanted him to go anywhere, and so after Taako had texted one of his roommates that he wouldn’t be home, they’d collapsed, exhausted, into his bed.

It had been a tumultuous evening. Emotionally draining in parts — certainly not easy — but ultimately so very worth it.

But now, here he was, pinned down, and in desperate need of the bathroom.

For all of Taako’s aloofness when awake, it seemed he was something of a cuddlebug when asleep. He dominated the majority of the bed — having pushed Kravitz to the very edge of the mattress — lying diagonally with his face rubbing into Kravitz’s shoulder and his legs taking the rest of the space.

He hated to risk waking him, but the position was unsustainable considering the fullness of his bladder. He kissed the top of Taako’s head and tried to wiggle out with as little disturbance as possible.

“Wha…” his bedmate sleepily mumbled.

“Nothing, darling, go back to sleep,” he said.

When he returned, he assessed the situation. Taako had now completely starfished across the entirety of the bed, the blankets interwoven with his limbs. And the one tiny little portion that Kravitz might have been able to squeeze himself into was taken by Persephone.

He sighed.

Well, it was a bit earlier than he might have normally gotten up on a day off, but that was fine. He rolled out his yoga mat and started his practice.

Twelve rounds of Sun Salutations, then onto the Warrior poses. He found his mind straying more than it usually did during the meditative movements. He supposed it was understandable, though, considering his awareness of the enchanting man in bed behind him.

“Wow.”

The unexpected utterance startled him enough that he stumbled — his Warrior Three almost becoming a Broken-Nosed Pigeon. Taako chuckled behind him. “Well, that was really impressive there… for a while.”

“Yes, well, my usual audience,” he tilted his head to where Persephone was now curled into a little ball at the foot of the bed, “doesn’t normally provide much commentary.” Contemplative mood broken, he gave up trying to practice and sat down. “Sorry if I woke you.”

“Nah, it’s cool, dude,” Taako said, reaching out and tracing a fingertip down the center of Kravitz’s chest. “Anyway, you gave me a nice little show to wake up to, so I ain’t complaining.” He sat up and stretched, and Kravitz tried, (and failed), not to notice the morning wood contained in Taako’s tight undies. “Man, this sure is a comfy-ass bed you got. I could get used to catching my Zzs here.”

The early morning sun was starting to come in through the window, illuminating Taako’s desert-hued skin and making it glow. “You’d get no objections from me,” Kravitz said softly.

Taako bit his lip, but smiled. “So, you gotta head into work soon?”

“I have the day off.”

“Lucky,” Taako said, closing his eyes and falling back into the pillows.

“When do you have to be at work?”

“I’m on lunch shift, so I should probably mosey on out before too long.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah, but…” He peeked one eye open. “I _will_ need to eat some breakfast, and I could cook something for both of us. You know, some of that good-good domestic shit?”

Kravitz’s heart warmed. “That would be wonderful.”

“Only problem is I’ll need to shave off some time if I do. You cool if I shower here?”

“Of course.”

“Aaaand, we could save water if you joined me,” Taako said, running his foot up Kravitz’s leg.

A shiver ran down his spine. “Conservation is very important.”

“It’d be so civic-minded of us.” Taako slowly started lifting the hem of his shirt.

“Very,” he replied, moving in close as Taako’s face disappeared behind the fabric of the tee as he pulled it off, and then pressing his lips to the brunette’s as soon as his face was revealed.

There was something about morning kisses that he’d always loved; the stale breath and mussed-up hair and pillow-creased faces just accentuating the realness of the moment. He ran his hands up Taako’s sides and luxuriated in his presence.

After a lingering moment, Taako pulled away, just a touch breathless. “Too much more of that, handsome, and I’ll keep you in this bed all day. And unfortunately, I really do have to make it in to work.”

They finally got up, Kravitz grabbing towels and washcloths, then busying himself with gathering up all of the discarded clothing and tossing everything in to the hamper to give Taako a few moments in the bathroom alone. He heard the toilet flush and the shower start, and after a moment the door cracked open.

As he peeked his head in, the air was already a bit steamy, and he felt a wave of relief that their preferred water temperatures appeared to be about the same. But such pragmatic considerations were quickly put aside as he took in the sight before him.

“See anything you like, stud?” Taako asked, smiling smugly as he leaned against the doorway to the shower and leisurely stroked himself.

“Gods yes,” he said, his voice pitching lower.

He was glad they hadn’t been intimate the previous evening: the timing hadn’t been right — the emotions too raw — and he felt that any fooling around would have lead to regrets. Instead, they’d just held each other, and the quiet closeness of soft physical contact had acted like a balm over the stinging truths they’d shared.

As they stood there, though, he found that his previous reservations were dissolving in the humid air.

Taako moved closer, taking Kravitz’s hand and pulling him all the way into the bathroom. It was only natural to follow the motion and lean down to kiss along his jaw and down his neck, wrapping his arms around Taako and pulling him in.

The feel of their lengths shifting together was electrifying, and he gasped when he felt Taako’s hand encircle them both and pump slowly.

“We’re wasting water, Mister _I-recycle-and-you-don’t_ ,” Taako breathed into his ear.

Kravitz nibbled at where his shoulder met his neck. “There go our conservation efforts.”

“Not on my watch,” he said, suddenly backing away and into the shower alcove, leading him under the spray like the pied piper. Kravitz resisted and tried to pull him back but he stood firm.

“We could just turn it off.”

“Nu-uh, we gotta at least pretend to get clean,” Taako said, grabbing a bar of soap and dragging it lasciviously down Kravitz’s torso.

He acquiesced with a sigh. “If we must.”

“We must. Now turn around. I’ll wash your back.” Kravitz chuckled, pulling his dreads into a high bun, then doing as instructed, enjoying the feeling of Taako’s hands on his skin.

“I saw a little of this last night, but I’m glad I get to see it better.” He traced the lines of the large scythe and winged hourglass tattoo that spanned the breadth of Kravtiz’s upper back. “If I didn’t already know you were a goth, homie, this would seal it.” He scraped his teeth against the inked skin of Kravitz’s shoulder. “ _Tempus fugit_ : the original ‘YOLO’.”

The snort of laughter that escaped Kravitz’s lips was cut abruptly short when Taako’s hand trailed down his spine and a thumb ran between his cheeks. “You’ve got a great ass, babe.”

He gave a breathy chuckle. “I’m, uh, glad you think so.”

“Mhm. Looking forward to exploring more later, but time being of the essence...” His fingers skittered around his hip and then wrapped around his shaft. “You OK if I jack you off?”

“More than OK,” he managed.

“And this,” he asked as he gently pushed his dick up the valley of Kravitz’s asscheeks.

“Yess.” He braced himself against the wall, torn between pushing his hips further into Taako’s grasp or back to feel Taako’s length rubbing him. “Yes, Taako. Please.”

“Like hearing you beg, baby.” He gave his hand a twist that left Kravitz’s legs trembling. “You are so fuckin’ hot, Krav.”

“That’s…” he groaned. “That’s you, Taako.”

“You’re goddamned right,” he said, picking up his pace.

God Taako knew just how to touch him; the perfect amount of pressure, his other hand alternating between pinching his nipples and scratching lightly across his skin. The sensations were intoxicating, and on each particularly perfect stroke, his knees threatened to buckle. As amazing as it was, though, it wasn’t enough. Not that they had time for anything too involved, really, but…  “Taako?”

“Hm?”

“Put it between my legs?”

Taako nuzzled him. “Sure thing, sweet cheeks.” He gave Kravitz’s ass a smack and they shifted their positions. He pressed his legs tight around Taako’s length, shivering when the head nudged his sack. Taako’s hand sped up. “Mmm. All that exercise pays off, huh? Those thighs feel like they could crack walnuts.” He shifted again, working a few moments in relative silence, then breathed into his ear. “Feels so good, Kravvy. But it’s gonna feel even better when those legs are over my shoulders… you know, when I’m inside you.”

The thought of that was all it took. His vision fuzzed a little around the edges as he came, splattering the wall with ejaculate. Then a surprised little gasp sounded off of the tile behind him as Taako’s movements stuttered to a halt. He pulled Kravitz in tight, crushing him to his chest. He could feel laughter huffed against his back.

“Shit babe, I promise next time I’ll last longer.” He leaned back and turned Kravitz around, pressing their lips together. “Just difficult to hold off when you’re so sexy.”

They somehow managed to get mostly clean before the water went cold, but it was a close thing and Kravitz didn’t have time to shampoo his dreads. Still, there was nowhere he had to be today, and with the boneless afterglow that had settled over him, he found he didn’t care about much of anything at all.

“Come on, bone daddy, don’t go falling asleep on me here,” Taako said as he wrapped a towel around himself.

“Bone daddy?” he asked, tone incredulous.

“Yeah, to fit with your whole spooky aesthetic. And to reiterate all the boning we’re gonna do,” he said with a wink, tossing him a towel before he walked out of the bathroom. His voice was getting distant as he made his way into the main part of the apartment. “Now to blow your mind with my cooking. There’s nothing like a full night’s sleep and a good orgasm to work up an appetite.”

Kravitz chuckled quietly as he finished drying off.

When he got out to the kitchen, Taako was looking in his refrigerator. “Ug! How does someone even survive with a fridge this empty?”

“A lot of protein shakes and take out?”

Taako looked up over his shoulder, his expression capital-U Unimpressed. “At least you got eggs. You OK if I use your leftovers?”

“Sure.”

He started cracking the eggs into a skillet. “I guess I shoulda asked if it was all right before I looked through your kitchen. You know, with the boundaries thing.”

Soft warmth settled in Kravitz’s chest. “It’s fine. And it means a lot that you remembered, even if you’re asking after the fact.”

The tilted smile Taako gave him was adorable. “Well, I said I’d try, and I meant it.”

He closed the distance between them and cradled Taako’s cheek in his palm. “I appreciate it.” He kissed him gently. “Consider this my unequivocal permission to dig through this kitchen as much as you like.”

He started coffee while Taako commenced his artistry. And artistry was exactly what it was; from the way Taako cracked the eggs one-handed to the effortless way he flipped the skillet. It was a seamless dance beautifully executed. Kravitz was enraptured.

By the time the coffee maker had brewed enough to fill two mugs, and he’d brought over a cup for Taako (which consisted more of cream and sugar than actual coffee), breakfast smelled absolutely amazing. And when they sat down, and he took his first bite, it also _tasted_ absolutely amazing. “This is incredible. How did you even do this?”

“Wizardry, my man,” Taako said with a wink. “Didn’t you know I’ve got mystical powers?”

“I don’t think that’s such a big reveal…” he said, gazing at his companion fondly. “I already suspected you were magic.”

Seeing Taako look abashed was incredibly sweet.

He wished Taako didn’t have to work so that they could spend the day together, but before long, Taako finished off the last of his “coffee” and eggs and looked at the clock. “I better get going.”

He nodded. “I figured it was probably about time.”

Taako stood and was obviously trying not to look uncomfortable. “So, I wanted to check. In the shower? That was all right, yeah?”

Kravitz stood too and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Very much so.”

“Cool. I thought maybe… well, I guess you would have stopped me if you weren’t ready, huh?”

“I would’ve.” He kissed his cheek. “I wish you didn’t have to go.”

“Me too.”

“Want me to drive you home?

“That would be great.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Even though he didn’t really have time for it, Taako watched from the window until Kravitz’s car was out of sight, then slowly made his way up the stairs.

“Anyone home?” he yelled. When no one replied, he sagged a little. “Well, good, ‘cause I don’t want to talk to any of you chuckle-fucks right now anyway!”

Work would help. He could put on some tunes and get in the Zone. Just chop and stir and season and not think of a damn thing.

Ha. As if.

He briefly considered hunting down Merle’s stash to mellow out, but that meant going into Merle’s _room_ , and even normally that was an unsavory proposition, but with Dav in town, he thought it entirely possible he’d end up seeing something that would scar him for the rest of his life.

And he had enough scars already, _thankyouverymuch_.

So instead he just tried to focus on being a functional adult and getting ready for work.

He didn’t manage to catch his usual bus, but he did catch the next one, and he made it to work only five minutes after his shift had started.

And for once he was actually grateful for the shitshow that was his job; running around putting out fires — both metaphorical and literal — made the time go by pretty quickly. He scrambled to keep up with orders, joked around with the wait staff, and tried very hard not to think about beautiful brown eyes or the fact that he’d shared more of himself the previous evening than he had with probably anyone who wasn’t a part of his family.

And the thing about it was, he was kinda OK with it. Talking with Kravitz — even having Kravitz see him cry — hadn’t given him that itchy, unbearable feeling he usually got when other people saw his vulnerabilities. It had been, well, not ‘comfortable’, but comforting? Being held, joking around, knowing that Kravitz wasn’t judging him. It had all just been better than he’d ever expected.

“Yo, Taak,” Roz said from where xe was putting on xyr apron. “Your shift’s been over like fifteen minutes and you know these assholes aren’t going to pay you overtime.”

He blinked, eyes darting up to look at the clock. Seriously? It was that late? “Oh, yeah, thanks Roz,” he said, taking off his apron and shaking his head. Huh. He really had been preoccupied.

As his steps took him home, he wasn’t sure how he felt when he saw Lup’s Jeep parked at the curb in front of the house.

“Hey, there you are!” Lup said as she popped out of the house, like she’d been waiting for him. “We were just talking about you.”

“About how awesome and gorgeous I am?”

Lup laughed. “Well, natch,” she said, all smiles, but there was just a touch of concern in her eyes. If he hadn’t already been suspicious, he definitely was now. “How’s it going? Good day at work?”

“Um, yeah. Everything’s great.”

She started to pull in through the door and into the house. “Well, Barry and I brought over dinner. We were just finishing up, but we have, like, way too much still. Any chance you could help us finish it off? You know how Barry hates eating leftovers.”

“I do not hate eating leftovers!” Barry yelled from somewhere further inside.

“Yes, you do, Bear,” Lup yelled back. “Whadya say, ‘Ko? You willing to take one for the team?”

“Well,” he said. “I mean, I _guess_ I could help out. You know, since Barry’s such a _PICKY LITTLE BABY._ ” He projected the last part loud enough that he hoped Barry could hear.

It was a nice enough night that apparently dinner had been eaten outside, and Lup quickly herded him through the kitchen, only stopping long enough to snag three beers. As they rounded the corner of the backyard where they had their sweet-ass party-patio, his steps hesitated when he saw the whole family was there.

“He’s here!” Magnus leaped up like he’d not seen Taako in ten goddamned years.

“Yeah. Yeah. Here I am,” he said, looking around at everyone’s expectant faces. “Is this an intervention? ‘Cause its kinda weird to have booze at an intervention,” he said as Lup pressed a freshly opened bottle into his hand.

Lup hip-checked him then moved to sit on Barry’s lap. “Nah, we just realized it had been a while since we were all together, so Bear and I thought we’d stop by, and Luce was already helping Merle with the garden, so it all just worked out.”

He looked at her skeptically, but sat in his chair and started dishing himself some grub. “Huh, funny that, seeing as usually when we _try_ and plan something, nothing ever works.”

“It was… um, obviously meant to be, then,” Barry said.

Taako fixed his brother-in-law with a withering glare. “Pretty fatalistic for someone who doesn’t trust anything unless it can be proven with the scientific method.” He took a bite of the curried pico and cabbage slaw. Yep, just as he suspected: they’d brought dinner from his favorite food truck. “All right. Joaquin’s is all the way on the other side of town from the university. What’s really going on?”

“It was for me, Taako,” Davenport said with a sigh, as though he was admitting some huge secret. “I’ve been back a couple weeks and we haven’t once all gotten together. I wanted to make sure I had a night with my whole family before I headed back out.”

Oh. Taako felt a twinge in his stomach. He liked to give Merle and Dav shit, but he hated to think that Dav might have been feeling lonely. “You leaving already, Cap?”

Davenport’s copper-red mustache twitched. “Well, not right away…”

“Hey, it doesn’t matter _when_ he’s heading back out. He can still want to get everyone together,” Merle argued.

And that sealed it. “Uh huh. I see how it is,” Taako said, his voice once more incredulous.

Looks were exchanged. Everyone trying to think of what to say. He should have known it would be Merle who broke the silence.

“So, you get laid last night?” Merle asked.

“Jesus, Merle!” Lup and Barry said at almost the exact same time. Davenport rubbed his forehead and the rest of the family wore various expressions of distress.

“Did you not get my text last night?” Taako asked, taking out his phone. “Uh. Nope. It says right here that my message was read, so I know you saw it.”

“All you wrote was “won’t be home. mind your own business.”

“Exactly! And I’m trying to figure out what part of “mind your own business” you’re not understanding,” he said, scooting his chair back noisily with every intention of leaving. It was no one’s business what he got up to!

Before he could stand, though, Lucretia laid a hand over his.

“Taako, please?” She gave him that smile, the one that had managed to convince him to volunteer at her mentoring program even when their relationship had still been so incredibly strained; the one that had breached the armor around his heart all those years ago when he and Lup had first been brought into Dav and Merle’s quirky little family. “We just wanted to check in. Seems we’ve all drifted apart a bit, and it feels like it’s time we reconnect.”

Well… and that was kinda the truth. For so long it had just been the seven of them — eight once Maggie had fallen in love with Julia — tighter than blood. But ever since everything had gone down…

It didn’t matter now. He’d been pissed, yeah, but after a few years of not even being able to be in the same room as Lucretia, and the whole Sazed situation, they were finally starting to put their family back together again. He took a deep breath and sat back down.

“We shouldn’t have sprung this all on you,” Lucretia said, reasonable as always, and Taako felt his shoulders relaxing just a little bit.

“We were a bit worried is all,” Lup finished.

“We just don’t want anything bad to happen like last time and you end up in the hospital or something,” Magnus said, and everyone turned to glare at him. Taako felt his jaw clench. “I mean…” He grimaced. “Shit, sorry.”

“Come on, guys, really? That’s the best ya’ll could do?” Julia asked as she stood up, punching Magnus’ arm none-too-gently but then kissing the top of his head. She walked over to Taako and held out a hand. “Come on, bud. Grab your beer. We should leave before these dummies dig themselves in any deeper, huh?”

He couldn’t argue with that. He followed her into the house.

When they got back in the kitchen, Julia cracked open a new beer and leaned against the counter. “You should know that they argued about how to do this all day. Not sure how they managed to mess it up so royally after so much talk,” she said, taking a pull. As she brought the bottle down, she gave Taako an assessing once-over. “Usually when Maggie’s struggling with something, I just wipe the floor with him in an arm wrestling match or take him to the dog park and he spills the beans. But that isn’t exactly your style, ‘Ko. So you wanna talk, or just drink?”

He sighed, then leaned next to her. “Let’s start with drinking.”

She nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

And so they did: standing together in companionable silence as they sipped at their beers.

When Julia had first entered the picture, Taako hadn’t liked her. She was fine, he guessed, just not the right match for Magnus. Mags was a big, dumb lug who had too much heart, and Julia might have seemed like a good companion for the dude on the outside, but Taako didn’t trust her. She was too direct, for one thing. As tough as Maggie liked to pretend he was, he was really just a big ol’ softie, and Taako just _knew_ that Julia would run rough-shod over his big, dumb heart and make him miserable.

Then, after a while, when that didn’t happen, Taako decided that, since she was a truck driver, she probably had lovers all over the country and would make Magnus look like a fool.

Then, when she’d taken a mechanic’s job with her trucking company, so she wouldn’t have to be apart from Magnus for so long, Taako had no doubt that she’d probably want Mags to just stay at home with her all the time, instead of hanging out with ~~him~~ the family.

Then, when that didn’t happen, either, and Mags and Julia had just grown more and more obviously in love, while still making time for ~~him~~ the family, he figured she was just acting all great until Magnus was totally head-over-heels before she’d leave him high and dry, and then Magnus would be all heartbroken and mopey, and it would be up to Taako to pick up the pieces.

Time passed, though, and none of Taako’s predictions happened. And the more they all hung out, the more obvious it became that Magnus and Julia really _were_ perfect for each other.

It took some time, but he was eventually able to admit to himself that it wasn’t that he didn’t like Julia so much as he wouldn’t have thought anyone was good enough for Magnus. Mags was the closest thing he had to a brother, and as much as he pretended not to care, once he considered someone family, there wasn’t much limit to how far he’d go to protect them.

“You remember how it was when Magnus and I first started dating, right?” she asked, finally breaking the silence between them.

“Yeah.”

“And you remember how tough everyone was on me?” He didn’t say anything. She continued. “And how _you_ were the worst one of all?”

He looked into his beer bottle. “Well, you know what a dummy Mango is… couldn’t let him fall in love with just anyone. Shit, I once thought he was going to ask one of those inflatable arm-waving dudes on a date.”

The expression Julia wore as she looked at him was hilariously horrified. “Wait, are you saying I was competing with a wacky-waving-inflatable-arm guy for Mags’ affections?” She shook her head. “He _loves_ those things. I must be the shit to have won out over that.”

He looked at her.

She looked back at him.

And they both burst out laughing.

Taako hiccupped. “Yeah, well, those tube-guys might have better dance moves than you, but you turned out to be all right.”

“Yeah well, you’re all right, too.” She nudged her shoulder into his. “But you’ve scared the pants offa us plenty of times, so when you texted Merle in the middle of the night and didn’t provide any details other than “mind your own business” — especially after that whole thing that happened a few months ago with that sicko — you can imagine how freaked out we were, right?”

Gods, he hated even thinking about that guy. In ways it had been even worst than what happened with Sazed. He took a long drink of beer to wash the memory away. “Yeah.”

“Good. ‘Cause Mags and I will put a beating on anyone who hurts you, but we’d really rather not, ya dig?”

He nodded.

“Cool.” She drank some more beer. “So, are you OK? Like, _really_ OK?”

He sat with the question for a moment. Was he OK? And if not in the normal-human-being-OK, was he at least OK in terms of what was happening with Krav? “Yeah. Yeah I think I’m really OK.”

She looked him in the eye for a long moment, but then her shoulders settled, and she smiled. “Well, good.” She finished off her beer. “Now, I know you don’t want to, but you’re going to have to deal with all of their questions eventually. And even though it doesn’t feel like it, it’ll be easier to get it over with right now while everyone is together rather than dealing with each one of ‘em separately.”

She had a point, even if it didn’t make it feel any better. “Fiiine,” he said. “Let’s go.”

They walked back outside, and as soon as they rounded the corner, everyone stopped talking in the most obvious and suspicious manner possible. Lup gave a wide, manic smile. “Hey bro. Uh, we were just talking… Uh, and maybe you can help us out. Barry and I have been thinking about… getting a kitten! You wanna help us think of names?”

“Oh! Awesome!” Magnus practically yelled.

“We _what_?” Barry asked simultaneously.

“You know, Bear, the _kitten_ we’ve been _talking_ _about_?” She gave him a sharp glance.

His eyes opened wide as he nodded slowly. “Oh, yeah, of course. The… kitten.”

Taako sat down. “I thought you were allergic to cats, Bluejeans.”

“Um, well, a bit. Not enough to need an epi-pen or anything, though.”

Taako snorted. “Look, everyone, it’s cool, yeah? Taako is now open to questions. No need to lie about adopting cats.” (Realizing the kitten-adoption was a ruse, Magnus looked disappointed, but everyone else breathed a sigh of relief.) He appraised Lup with disappointment. “And you are super outa practice, sis, if _adopting a kitten_ is the best distracting lie you can come up with on short notice.”

Lup shrugged, smile unapologetic. “My lies were never any good. That’s why I always needed my number-one co-conspirator to help me sell ‘em.”

He eventually matched her smile, and when she held out her fist, he begrudgingly bumped it.

“Metaphorical cards on the table, Taako: We were worried when you didn’t come home last night,” Davenport finally said. “But you’re right. You don’t need to tell us everything.”

“It’s just been a bit up and down, kid,” Merle tagged on. “We thought things were maybe going better with that one guy, but after the last rebound…”

“No rebound. I was with Krav last night.” He shrugged. “I guess we’re officially boyfriends now or something.”

Silence settled over the group for a moment before a cacophony of words assaulted his ears.

“Awesome, bro!”

“Way to go, man!”

“Jesus, it’s about time.”

“Well, that’s great, Taako.” Davenport’s voice broke out over the din, and like always, when Davenport spoke, everyone else shut up. “But also pretty sudden, considering.”

“Yeah, well, cha’boy is tryin’ his hand at the ‘relationship thing”. Gettin’ back on the horse.” He resolutely ignored the nervous glances exchanged around the table. He knew what they were thinking. His last “relationship rodeo” had been a disaster.

Everyone looked super awkward, and he _felt_ super awkward. But he had an idea that might put everyone at ease, even if it made _him_ really damned uncomfortable to even think about. “Uh, what if I invited him to game night. Not saying he’ll be able to make it, but ya’ll might be able to meet him and _maybe_ that would make everyone feel better? Huh?”

Inviting a dude he was seeing to meet the whole family was an offer he’d never made before, and a general sigh of relief came from the assembled.

“I think that would be great,” Davenport said.

“Yeah, OK.” He gave a long-suffering sigh. “Still not sure how ya’ll are missing the point of “mind your own business” but whatever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to everyone who has stayed with me and for all the lovely comments. They really mean so much ❤


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning: this chapter gets steamy in the second half.  
> Thanks to everyone still reading!  
> (Not beta'd, so apologies for typos!)

Friday night arrived and Kravitz looked guiltily over at his harpsichord. He hadn’t worked on his compositions all week. In fact, aside from the most basic human functioning, he hadn’t really managed to accomplish anything of value at all.

He’d been _distracted_.

His smile turned dreamy as his mind wandered, recalling how he’d basically been glued to his phone each night, chatting with Taako.

His _boyfriend._

His gorgeous, sensual, sexy.. _._

…

No! He stopped his brain right there. All day he’d been mentally preparing himself to focus; going so far as to skip his nightly workout so that he could actually get some writing done.

He’d even made a list to keep himself on track:

_1) get home_

_2) feed ‘Seph_

_3) feed yourself_

_4) write some freaking music!_

Finishing his somewhat pathetic dinner of a microwave _aloo matar_ wrap, he sat down at the harpsichord and sighed. Maybe if he just played a little — some Couperin or Bach, something joyful and stirring — it would get him more in the mood.

He rolled his eyes, shifting a bit stiffly on the bench.

That was actually the problem, though. He was pretty in the mood already…

… just not to write music.

He resolutely put fingers to keys. He was a grown man with things to do, not a goddamned teenager with a first crush. He would absolutely not just spend the entire evening, curled up around the pillow that still had the scent of his boyfriend’s shampoo, fantasizing about Taako.

He could do this!

After a few half-hearted measures, though, his shoulders slumped.

He pulled out his phone in defeat.

He was weak. He could admit his faults.

Kravitz scrolled through the text messages they’d shared that past week and reread some of the highlights. Since Taako had said he was busy that night, and that he probably wouldn’t be able to hear his phone where he was going, Kravitz was left to rely on previous conversations to satisfy his taste for Taako.

**\- - - Tuesday - - -**

**Taako** **❤** **: Ug! Can u believe these idiots? [image attached] (12:55 PM)**

Kravitz had opened the file to see a picture of a little kid in too-big pajamas with curly hair and glasses being lifted under the arms by Merle, who was in turn being lifted under the arms by a huge, burly guy, all three of them stretched to their limits so that the boy could reach what looked to be a large Tupperware container on a shelf above the refrigerator. 

Even though it looked precarious, it was also unbelievably adorable.

 **That looks like a recipe for disaster.** He paused before hitting send, debating whether he should write anything else and risk making Taako uncomfortable by asking too much about his family. But Taako _had_ said he’d make an effort to be more open, and he _had_ sent the picture, so he decided to go for it. **I recognize Merle. Is that Angus? (12:56 PM)** he’d asked.

**Taako** **❤** **: Yeah. The little shit conned Merle and Magnus into helping him steal my world famous macarons! (12:56 PM)**

Magnus.

Taako had only mentioned his other long-term roommate one other time, and it had basically been in the context of “Man, my roommates are idiots”, so mentally Kravitz had kinda just lumped the guy in the same camp as Merle — assuming he was a little weird and not anyone to feel threatened by.

He hadn’t been prepared to learn that the guy was actually an incredibly good-looking hunk who could apparently bench-press two other people and not look the least put out by it.

Kravitz tried to not feel insecure.

 **“Taako-Brand World Famous Macarons” huh? (12:56 PM)** he texted, instead of all the questions he had about Magnus.

**Taako** **❤** **: You got it. No one in the history of ever has made elderflower macarons as good as Taako! (12:57 PM)**

Kravtiz’s cheeks bunched up into a smile. **They sound amazing. Wish I was there to steal one, too. (12:58 PM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: Well, just u hang in there baby. Saturday I'll be sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. (12:58PM)**

 

**\- - - Wednesday - - -**

**Taako** **❤** **: Thinkin bout u [heart][winking face] (9:23 AM)**

Kravitz had been at work, and he’d been distinctly aware of the way Raven rolled her eyes at the sound of the text message. She gave a laugh as he’d gotten up, red-faced, to leave the office.

**Yeah? (9:23 AM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: Uhhuh. Still in bed. Thinkin how much more I’d be enjoyin it if u were in these soft soft sheets with me (9:23 AM)**

He recalled waking up to Taako in his bed and felt warm. **Sounds divine. (9:24 AM)** He said, briefly debating but eventually sending: **Just like you [heart emoji]. (9:24 AM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: Arg! You. Are. Such. A. Sap! (9:24 AM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: Here I am, trying to get a little sexy-times action and u have to go and make it sweet and shit! (9:24 AM)**

He chuckled. **Sorry. Can I make it up to you on Saturday? (9:25 AM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: U better! (9:25 AM)**

 

**\- - - Thursday - - -**

He’d excused himself from the table and ignored the laughter from Raven and Izzy.

**My boss’ wife insists I can’t have dessert unless I invite you over to their house for dinner. (6:45 PM)**

Was it too soon to introduce Taako to the women who were basically his mothers?

Yes, it was probably too soon.

But did he want to introduce him to them anyway?

Yes. He did.

**She said they can make pretty much any night work. So whenever you’re free. (6:45 PM)**

**I promise they’re wonderful and that they’ll love you. (6:45 PM)**

As the minutes ticked by, he swore he could feel his hair turning white.

…

Still no response.

…

Oh, god, it had been a mistake. He knew that now. He started texting.

 ** _If you’re not comfortable with it yet, I understand_** he started, but before he could hit send, a response came in.

**Taako** **❤** **: Uh, yeah, sure. Next couple weeks aren’t great, tho. Can they do the 17 th? (6:49 PM)**

He sagged against the wall, a stupid smile on his face. He ducked his head back into the kitchen. “Will the 17th work?”

“Sounds perfect, dear,” Izzy said.

**They said that would work. (6:50 PM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: Cool [winking kiss emoji]**

\- - - - -

He looked up from his phone and his shoulders sagged. Yeah, he was done for. There was no way he was getting anything productive done tonight.

He opened his gallery and started scrolling through his growing collection of Taako-shots.

Then, his favorite one popped up on its own as the man in question called him.

He swallowed down his happiness as he accepted the call. (He wasn’t a teenager, goddamnit! He would answer like a freaking adult!)

“Hello?”

“Heey, Baabe. Whatcha wearin?”

Kravitz laughed. There was a definite looseness to Taako’s words, and the background was noisy. A bar, maybe? “Oh, so it’s that kind of call?”

A snort came over the phone. “Acshually, no! Can you believe it? I jus’ wanna know how long it’s gonna take you to get ready.”

“Ready? Ready for what? I thought you were busy tonight.”

“I am! And now I wanna be busy with you, too. Come hang out with us!”

That took him off guard. “Who is “us” and where are you?”

On the other end of the line, Taako blew a long, drawn-out raspberry, the spittle from which Krav could practically feel over the phone. “As long as the “us” and the place includes _moi_ , do you really care about the part-“ he paused. “Partical-.” A huff and then a deep breath. “…par-tic-u-lars?”

His boyfriend was drunk, that much was certain. Still, even drunk, the man’s perception was 100% right: If there was the chance to be with Taako, it didn’t really matter who else was around or where they were. “You do make a convincing argument,” he admitted.

“Thought so!” Taako crowed. “You’re putty in my hands.”

“Any chance I can get,” Kravitz said, letting his voice dip into a deeper register.

There was a small squeak, then the background noise quieted and Taako’s words were breathy over the phone. “Hey now, Taako’s in _no_ position to deal with _that_ tone of voice.”

Kravitz smirked and pitched his voice even lower. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A groan. “Yeah. Sure. You don’t know _anything_ about how that voice revs my engines.”

He chuckled. He absolutely knew, and it was heady knowing he could command so much of Taako’s attention and libido with just his words.

His thoughts flashed back to Taako leaving him hard and aching on a park bench, and he briefly toyed with the thought of making his boyfriend squirm in a similar fashion. But he didn’t know the situation and didn’t want to put Taako in an uncomfortable position. He let his tone return to normal. “Well, if I _were_ to join you and your mystery companions, I’d have to know where to go, wouldn’t I?”

“I suppooooose so.” Taako giggled. “D’ja know Round Shot?”

He remembered that Keats used to talk about going there before the two of them had gotten together, but rowdy sports bars, even if they were LGBT-friendly, had never really been Kravitz’s scene. “I’ve heard of it,” he admitted tentatively.

“Well, that’s where we are! And it’s where you should be. So get to gettin’ big boy.”

He looked around his place. He had work in the morning. He could, in theory, still get some composing done if he focused.

The Kravitz of a few months ago would have begged off, not really wanting to go to a busy public place to meet up with unknown people.

The Kravitz of a few months ago hadn’t been thoroughly infatuated with Taako, though.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

He dug out the same old jeans he’d worn to the Chug and Squeeze — vowing to get himself a new pair soon — and after some deliberation, just kept on the T-shirt he was already wearing.

When he arrived, he had to chuckle when he saw a huge, rainbow-painted cannon out front. It seemed a bit on the nose, but considering the general vibe he was getting from the place, he supposed it fit. He rapped his knuckles against the barrel for luck as he passed.

Opening the door, the music and atmosphere nearly knocked him right back out. The place was packed. Big screen TVs played a variety of different sports, but mostly folks were crowded around the numerous pool, foosball, and air hockey tables that filled the space. Kravitz tried to edge away from the pandemonium, but where the outer edges of a place usually offered some respite, pinball machines lined the perimeter of these walls, and their whistles and chirps filled the air.

His old violin teacher’s warnings about hearing loss echoed through his mind and he wished he’d brought earplugs.

“You’re here!”

He turned in the direction of the shout just in time to catch the unsteady projectile of his lovely, ungainly boyfriend before he was knocked entirely off his feet.

“How could I stay away?” he asked as Taako swayed within the circle of his arms. “ _You_ were here… and I’m putty in your hands.”

Taako’s eyes widened, looking up at him with an openness he hadn’t seen reflected in them before. The moment stilled, the cacophonous sound drown out by the beating of his heart. He ran his thumb along the crest of Taako’s cheekbone. Taako leaned in, his eyes closing…

“Ahem! We’re just about to start, KoKo! Maybe you can get your mack on _after_ we get some shoes?”

The noise crashed in back around them and Taako rolled his eyes. “Ug! Fine!” he yelled over his shoulder at the woman who’d been yelling at him (who turned out to be Lup).

She shot finger guns at Kravitz and gave him a wink.

Taako turned back to him, entwining their fingers and pulling him into the Maelstrom. “You’re just in time to watch cha’boy _totally dominate_ some suckers at pool, stud.”

He was dragged over to one of the pool tables and was pushed down onto a barstool next to a middle-aged guy in a Canadian Tuxedo who was watching everything intently from behind thick, black-framed glasses.

“Keep my boy outa trouble for a minute, wouldja Bluejeans?”

The guy gave a mock salute, then Taako grabbed a cue and assessed the table. Kravitz wasn’t sure if he was more distracted at Taako referring to him as “my boy” or by the tight leggings he was wearing that spectacularly highlighted his assets. His flustered conundrum was interrupted by the man next to him tapping his shoulder to get his attention and then extending his hand. “Uh… hi. I’m Barry,” he shouted over the racket.

Not that he’d put much effort into assembling a mental image of what Lup’s husband looked like, but from what Taako had offhandedly mentioned, and Lup’s brief preamble the night they’d met, Barry was not really what Kravitz had been expecting. Still, he seemed like a nice enough guy, even if he did give off serious “dad-vibes”.

“Barry…” he smiled and shook the man’s hand “As in “Lup and Barry”.”

“You got it. And you’re Kravitz…” He gave a big, toothy grin. “…as in “Taako and Kravitz”.”

He could feel his face heating up at being compared to a married couple, but he nodded.

The man patted him on the shoulder. “Well, Kravitz, you’re about to see my beautiful wife — and your boyfriend — hustle some pool.”

The place was too loud to have a conversation, which was fine since it gave him some time to settle his nerves. Kravitz followed Barry’s line of sight and watched as the twins set about absolutely crushing their opponents.

It started off sort of equal at first, but it was pretty obvious to him that Taako and Lup were intentionally missing shots, and after some negotiations as to the wager, the gloves came off.

Taako made an elaborate shot that knocked each rail twice before finally finding the pocket he’d originally indicated. Lup gave Barry an exaggerated wink as she arched her spine and pocketed another ball while shooting behind her back.

The two dudes they were playing exchanged worried glances and cursed as Taako finally potted the eight ball with an obnoxious amount of flourish.

“Pay up, boys!”

The men started to argue, but Lup snapped her fingers. “Nope! You agreed to the conditions. Chop Chop!”

To Kravitz’s surprise, the two men then proceeded to begrudgingly untie their shoes and then hand their footwear over to the twins.

“Oooh! Thank you!” Taako enthused, holding one of the shoes up to the sole of his own foot. It was about three sizes larger than Taako’s ballet flat. “Aw, shucks. I was hoping it would fit,” he said, throwing it under the table into a pile of shoes that Kravitz hadn’t noticed before.

“And here I was sure I was gonna get a new pair of Docs,” Lup said as she looked forlornly at the surprisingly small boots the other man had handed her.

Taako and Lup’s smiles were radiant as the men walked, sock-footed, away. Matching expressions of victory settled on their faces, the twins looked over at him and Barry. “And now it’s time for the champions to get some drinks!”

As the four of them made it over to the crowded bar, Kravitz cast a few glances back. “Why did you just make them take off their shoes?”

“Uh, because we _won_ those shoes, babe.”

“But… why? Why would you want their _shoes_?”

“’Cause it’s hilarious!” Taako yelled, and he and Lup high-fived.

“Don’t try to make sense of it,” Barry said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s just something they’ve always done.”

Lup hip-checked her husband, a pouting crease between her brows. “Hey, at least now we give people the opportunity to come back and grab ‘em when our backs are turned.”

Elbowing their way to the front, Taako shouted over to the bartender. “Hey, Avi! You’re finally on shift! Hook us up! Four BOBs, yeah?”

The guy gave a wave, wrapping up his current transaction, and then began to fill up some pint glasses. “No Magnus tonight?” he said as he handed over the drinks.

“Nah, he and Jules are dog sitting over in Goldcliff,” Taako said.

The pained look that crossed the bartender’s face communicated volumes; it was the look of a man that had it bad for someone with no hope of reciprocation.

“Well, when you see him, tell him I said ‘Hi’.”

Barry gave a nod and a small smile. It was obvious he saw the writing on the wall, too. “Will do, bud.”

Once they had their drinks, they wandered up a flight of stairs into a less frenetic area, with booths and a small dance floor instead of noisy games. It was still busy, though, and they were forced to mill around for a few minutes before one of the corner tables opened up.

Kravitz looked at the pint glass in his hand. He enjoyed a good beer but tended to be a bit particular about what he liked. He took a tentative sip, then raised his eyebrows. “Wow. This is actually really good.”

“Hells yeah!” Lup said, clinking her glass against his before taking a swig. “Brewed in house. The Beer of Badasses!”

“That’s the “BOB”” Barry elaborated. He tapped his own pint against Kravitz’s. “Glad you could join us, Kravitz. It’s good to, uh, finally meet the guy Taako won’t stop talking about.”

“Yeah, we figured if you were here, we could get Taako to stop pinin’ for you and harshing the vibe,” Lup said, and was shoved by her brother.

“I wasn’t _pining_ ,” he protested, but he looked at Kravitz from under lowered-lids, and one corner of his mouth quirked. “But… I am glad you’re here.”

He slid the hand not holding his beer across the table and wove his fingers through Kravitz’s.

“Aw…” Lup said, leaning heavily against Barry, who wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Bear, remember when we were that disgustingly cute?”

Barry kissed the top of her head. “We still are, babe.”

Taako made a gagging noise.

The easy rapport between the twins and Barry showed a long history, and Kravitz felt just a little bit like a… fourth wheel? (Was that possible?) But the three of them were obviously trying to include him without being too obtrusive, and he was grateful for it.

“How long have you all known each other?” he finally asked.

“Jesus, what? Twenty years?” Lup said, looking up from where she was puddling in Barry’s lap.

“Twenty-three, and…” Barry squinted in thought. “Five months.”

“Nerd,” Taako said.

“My Nerd,” Lup said, arching up to kiss her husband.

Taako rolled his eyes in drunken theatrics. “We met Bluejeans in High School.”

“Bluejeans?”

Barry sighed. “My last name is Blaujenseits...”

“Which was a name impossible for high schoolers not to make fun of…” Lup said.

“Especially since the man has never worn a pair of pants that weren’t jeans…” Taako continued.

Lup punctuated her next words with playful punches to Barry’s arm. “Even…” _punch_ “at…” _punch_ “his own…” _punch_ “goddamned!” _punch_ “wedding!”

“Hey, at least they were black!”

“They may have been black, but they were still denim, Barold.” Taako shook his head. “The guy has been around Lup and me for over twenty years and he still wouldn’t know fashion if it came and bit him in the ass.”

They ended up getting another round, and Kravitz was starting to relax. The conversation was flowing smoothly, and at some point Taako had moved his chair so that he was next to Kravitz instead of across from him, and he was in a similar lounging position against him as Lup was with Barry, practically melted into his lap…

It just felt _Right_.

“Come on, Bear,” Lup said as she finished her beer. “I got a hankering to whip your sweet-sweet butt at some air hockey.”

Barry chuckled as he finished his own pint. “If, uh, if memory serves, _I’ve_ won the last three games we played.”

“Maybe I _let_ you win.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.”

She stood, swaying slightly, and leaned over him with menace in her eye. “Well, then I demand a rematch!” Lup shot a look at her brother. “You think you guys can keep the making out to a minimum while we’re gone?”

“Nope!” Taako said, flipping her off as the couple laughed and headed back downstairs.

“You guys are really close,” Kravitz said, running a hand through Taako’s hair as it splayed over his lap.

“Yeah, well, there’s been some ups and downs, but, well, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for ‘em. They’re my family.”

Kravitz nodded. “I’m glad I got the opportunity to get to know Lup a little better. And Barry seems nice.”

Taako looked away. “Yeah, well, you’re all ready to introduce me to the people in your life, so I should do the same, huh?”

Discomfort flared in Kravitz’s gut. “Taako, I hope you know I don’t view anything between us as a _quid pro quo_. I didn’t mean to pressure you into having me meet them if you weren’t ready.”

“Nah, I didn’t mean it like that, I just…” he huffed a breath. “I’ve only ever introduced one guy to my family and, well,” He shook his head. “Let’s just say this is going _way_ better than that.”

“Well, I’m glad. I’ve really liked getting to spend time with you three tonight.”

“Yeah, I guess they’re pretty all right.” Taako reached up and gave a gentle yank to one of Kravitz’s dreads. “You’re pretty all right, too.”

It was only natural to lean down as Taako leaned up, and the BOB tasted even better from Taako’s lips then it had from the glass. Some shifting around and his boyfriend was suddenly sitting in his lap, stealing his breath away.

Taako felt so good in his arms; round and warm and so full of life.

And his lips; soft and plump, pulling back to expose teeth that nipped lightly at him and sent bolts of heat throughout his body.

And his thighs? God, Taako’s thighs were straddling his hips, squeezing him. He wrapped a hand around his boyfriend’s lower back, then let it drift down to cup his ass…

“God, I knew it!” Lup said, interrupting them after they’d been at it who-knew-how-long.

Taako cast a baleful glance at his sister. “What?! I haven’t seen him for like, _forever_. You get to make out with Barold all the time.”

“Damn right I do! Who could resist this hot-hot bluejeans-boy?” she said, smacking her husband’s denim-covered behind and making Barry turn a bright shade of pink.

“Blek!” Taako squirmed out of Kravitz’s lap as the couple resumed their seats and sipped their new beers. “Hey! Where’s ours?”

“Presumably downstairs in a keg,” Barry said with a smile.

Taako stuck out his tongue, then grabbed Kravitz’s hand, dragging him towards the stairs.

Before they went too far, though, Kravitz turned back. “Wait, so who won air hockey?”

The smile on Lup’s face disappeared and she squinted her eyes. Barry just looked smug.

“Oh, no, kemosabe, you did _not_ just ask that,” Taako said, increasing his pace and yanking him away before Lup had a chance to say anything.

* * * * * * * * * *

Taako tried to sober up a little bit as they tottered down the small staircase.

Should he ask him now?

He’d been trying all week to work up the courage to ask Kravitz to their big family game night. He would pull out his phone, and the screen would stare at him and…

… and he’d always lose his nerve.

For her part, his sister’s twin-senses must have picked up his thoughts loud and clear, because no sooner had he sprawled across the backseat of Barry’s boring, mid-sized sedan earlier that evening than she was hounding him.

“Soooo, about Kravitz…” Lup had said, turning almost entirely around in the passenger’s seat as soon as he’d gotten in.

“Nope!” he’d responded, defiantly looking out the window.

“Aw, come on, ‘Ko! You gotta give me that good good twinformation!”

“Don’t gotta do nothin’ tonight except drink too much and shark some people outa their shoes.”

She’d groaned. “Well, have you at least invited him to game night yet?”

He’d kept his mouth shut.

“KoKo!”

“I will, OK? Just gotta get the timing right.”

“The party is _next week_ , Taako,” Barry had said.

“You think I don’t know that, _Barold_?”

They’d driven in silence for a while after that, then Barry — fucking Gordian-knot-cutting Barold J. Bluejeans — piped up again. “You know what you could do? Have him join us tonight. If Lup and I meet him first, it’ll make him feel more comfortable at game night. You know, like he has allies.”

Taako sighed. Tonight was supposed to just be about the three of them reconnecting after he and Lup had muddled through their little heart-to-heart. _But_ , even though he and Krav were planning on going out the very next night, and they could talk then, it probably would be a good idea to have Lup and Barry get to know Kravitz a bit more first…

He hadn’t given in right away, though. It had taken the combined influences of a few rounds of BOB, the continued prompting of his sister and brother-in-law, and winning four pairs of shoes for him to finally get enough courage to give Kravitz a call.

Once they’d finally reached the bottom of the stairs, Kravitz’s hand tightened around his, and Taako remembered that his boyfriend wasn’t a huge fan of crowds. “Hey, so, how ‘bout we get one more drink and then you and me shoot some pool, huh?” Taako asked.

Kravitz gave him a skeptical glance. “Hustling someone at pool only works if they don’t already know you’re a hustler, darling.”

He could feel his cheeks heat up at the endearment. “Aw, ain’t nothin’ like that.” Fluttering his eyelids, he looked up at Kravitz, who quirked a dubious eyebrow. “Come on, stud. I’ll let you brea-aak,” he singsonged.

The sigh and lopsided smile he received let Taako know he’d won.

The bar was packed, so he sent Kravitz off to look for a pool table while he went over to the bar. Without even being asked, Avi brought over two pints, casting an appreciative glance at Kravitz’s retreating backside. It was too loud to talk, but the bartended gave him a discreet thumbs up.

Taako smirked, feeling puffed up and smug. Of course _he_ knew Kravitz was hot, but it never hurt a guy’s ego to know that _others also knew_ that the dude he was with was hot.

“So, you know how to play?” he asked as he handed Krav his beer.

“I have a general idea,” Kravitz said with a smile as he assessed the trueness of the stick he’d pulled from the rack. Taako swallowed dryly in response to Krav’s wrist motion as he chalked up the tip of his cue, then bit his lip as his boyfriend bent over for the break.

The sharp crack of the impact brought him out of his reverie, and he watched as the three and the seven found their pockets.

This time, Kravitz’s face was smug. “Solids.”

“OoO. My mans got some skills,” Taako said, theatrically fanning himself. “You gonna give me a run for my money?”

Krav’s eyes were half lidded and made Taako’s already slightly-wobbly stomach do a flip. “Oh, is there money on this game? Or are we just betting on my shoes?”

“I can think of other articles of your clothing I’m more interested in than your shoes, compadre.”

“My socks?”

Taako snorted. “Well, I do appreciate a nice pair of socks.”

He watched as his boyfriend lined up his next shot and another ball found the pocket. Shit. He hadn’t expected Kravitz would actually _know_ how to shoot pool. He’d just assumed he’d have to teach him, with plenty of opportunity to _guide_ his hand and _correct_ his positioning and otherwise just use any excuse to touch and rub up against the guy.

“Where’d you learn to play pool?” he asked.

“Brian’s family had a table. Summer vacations we’d go down to his basement where it was cool and play pretty much all day.” Kravitz grimaced. “At least until his folks got home from work.”

“What? Did they have a problem with you two shooting pool?”

“They didn’t care. Hell, they probably didn’t even know we were down there, to be honest.” He took a swig of his beer. “Basically the minute they walked in the door they’d start yelling at each other and it didn’t stop until they went to bed. It was pretty uncomfortable.”

Taako raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything. Kravitz tried for his next shot but hit it too hard and it ricocheted off the rail, and while Taako _had_ been trying to distract him from a streak, he felt kinda bad that it was from a shitty memory. Still, he went for his turn.

“How about you? Where’d you and Lup learn to play?”

He took a deep breath. OK, this was an opportunity for him to show Kravitz he was trying to be more open. Taako shrugged and assessed the table. “For a few years Lulu and I lived with this foster family that only ever remembered we existed when they sent us to go out and get ‘em smokes. The guy who owned the neighborhood bodega — the only one who would sell cigarettes to our underage asses — also owned the pool hall next door and he taught us to play.” He could sense that Kravitz was going to say something like “I’m sorry” or “That’s awful” so he cut him off before he could. “Worked out OK, though, ‘cause hustling pool basically paid our way through college.”

He lined up his shot and the eleven slid smoothly into the pocket. “So, Brian’s family was shit, huh? That explains a lot.”

Kravitz sighed. “His parents weren’t bad people. They were just bad for each other.” His eyes got a distant look in them. “I owe them a lot, actually. After my mom died, Brian’s mother was the one who took me shopping for clothes and school supplies, and his father helped me get into Lagato Conservatory.”

There was a lot to unpack from those few sentences, but he didn’t really want to ask about Kravitz’s dead mom at that particular moment, or what the situation with his father was. Instead, he latched onto something that he thought would veer them into lighter territory. “Lagato, huh? I was there once. Lup and Barry played a duet one year for some fancy high school to-do.”

The dude looked genuinely impressed. “Lup and Barry must have been really good to play there when they were in still high school.”

“They were.” Taako covered his proud smile by taking a drink of his beer. “But don’t ever tell ‘em I said so.”

Unfortunately, he didn’t wipe the condensation from the beer glass off his hand before his next shot, though, so his cue slipped off course and he cursed.

It was a rookie mistake.

And it was Krav’s turn again.

And shit. The guy really was good. Not flashy like he and Lup tended to be, but with solid skills and a sharp eye for the underlying geometry. He easily sunk his next shot.

Taako knew what he had to do.

If he was going to win, he’d have to play dirty.

The next shot had Kravitz bent over pretty far away from the table, so Taako scooted right up behind him and put his hands down into the man’s front pockets, pulling his ass back against his own hips. “Here, homie, let me help your positioning.”

As predicted, the shot went wide, and Kravitz turned around with an incredulous glare. “Taako!”

He pulled fake innocence around himself like a cloak. “What? I was just tryin’ ta help.”

Kravitz fixed him with a decidedly sharp glance, and then understanding dawned in his eyes. “Ooh. Is that how you want to play this?”

Taako swallowed dryly as Krav’s voice lowered. “Maybe…?”

The hungry smile that graced Krav’s dark features sent a shiver up Taako’s spine.

Chalking his cue, Taako darted his eyes up to where Kravitz was now leaning against the table, watching his actions like a hungry bird of prey.

He wiped his sweaty hands on his jeggings.

“So…” Kravitz started, leaning closer. “I was thinking about all the things I’m planning to do to you after our date tomorrow…”

Taako froze.

Oh no.

There it was. In full-force.

_The Voice._

It had been during one of their recent late-night conversations that Kravitz had first used _The Voice_ on him. That sexy bass rumble, tingling up his spine, telling Taako all the ways he wanted to please him. It had sent Taako right over the edge he’d been straddling the whole night.

“ _Do to me_?” he said, aiming for an “imperious” tone but falling somewhere in the range of “desperate squeak.” He took a deep breath before he made his shot with subtly shaking hands.

“Uh huh,” Kravitz said, leaning in to whisper in his ear. “I have so many things in mind.”

A whimper escaped Taako’s lips.

Somehow the tone got even lower; thick velvet music sensually gliding over his ears. “Going to treat you so well, Taako. Make you feel so good. I’m going to start by laying you down on my bed and hitching up your legs…”

This was too much. He had to make it stop. The pool cue fell from his hand and he bunched his fists in Krav’s shirt, desperately silencing _The Voice_ with a kiss.

They were both panting when he pulled back, and he could feel his already tight leggings were even more snug in an unsurprisingly particular area.

“Hey, uh, sorry to interrupt, but is it safe to assume you guys are done with the table?”

They both looked over to where two amused women with pool cues were appraising them expectantly.

“Uh, yeah, have at it,” Taako said, hastily picking up and re-racking his cue. He pulled Kravitz with him towards the stairs.

“Does this mean I won?”

Taako whipped back around to face his boyfriend, only to find him wearing an incredibly pleased-with-himself grin.

There was no way he could let that much smugness stand unchallenged.

Eyes slit, Taako pulled him into one of the quasi-secret single-stall bathrooms that were hidden upstairs and locked it behind them. “OK, bubelah. You wanted to know if being my boyfriend precluded getting blown in a public bathroom, well, Taako’s here to let you know that we’re doin’ this. Ya dig?”

Krav’s eyes were huge in the dim light. He wrapped his hands around Taako’s waist and pulled him into another kiss. Taako was just getting into it, planning his next moves, when Kravitz broke off. Maintaining eye contact, he lowered himself to kneeling.

“Oh. Uh, g-good answer,” Taako breathed, shivering as his boyfriend trailed light touches up his lycra-covered legs before hooking his fingers into the elastic of his pants and pulling down both leggings and his g-string in a single motion.

Krav got to work immediately, and it was seriously hot watching him lick and kiss his dick, and then finally – _finally–_ Kravitz took him in his mouth.

For a dude who hadn’t reportedly given head for seven years, the man was certainly not rusty. Pressure and suction just right, his technique was impeccable. Maybe slower than Taako would go if he was blowing someone in a public-ish place, but it was good.

So good.

Part of him wanted to just stay there and savor the slow, intoxicating pleasure.

Another part of him craved to twine his fingers into Kravitz’s hair and just take what he wanted. His fists bunched at his sides. Sure, he knew he shouldn’t just start face-fucking the guy…

But the largest part of Taako also wasn’t really the best at not taking what he wanted, and so it wasn’t surprising when his restraint disappeared for a moment and he bucked, driving his dick deep down Kravitz’s throat.

He winced as Kravitz spluttered a little, but before he could apologize, his boyfriend moaned around him, and if that wasn’t enough to push him on, he then felt fingers wrap around his wrist and his hand get dragged to the back of Krav’s neck while the man in front of him pressed himself forward.

Ohhh…

“Ya s-sure, babe?”

Kravitz nodded, forcing even more of Taako cock down his throat.

With a choked whine, he threaded his fingers into the thick, luxuriant dreads. Tentatively thrusting his hips, he was rewarded with a heartfelt groan after each push. And how could he stop after such encouragement?

“OK, well, uh, you just be sure and tap out if you need, babe,” he said with his last shred of coherence.

“Mnhn,” Kravitz moaned around his mouthful of Taako and pulled his hips forward, swallowing him down.

Any last semblance of rational thought flew from his mind.

Taako had gotten _plenty_ of head in his time. But having Kravitz — his sweet, gorgeous, romantic, amazing _boyfriend_ — on his knees in front of him blowing his mind? It was maybe the most incredible thing he could imagine.

“Kravvy, I’m real fuckin’ close.”

His boyfriend’s enthusiasm and pace increased.

“Seriously, babe, last warning…”

Kravitz’s eyes fluttered open and gazed up at him. His lips were wet and swollen around Taako’s cock, his pupils blown wide and his expression hazy with lust.

It was so thoroughly debauched and quite literally breathtaking and…

“Oh gods!”

Taako almost doubled over as stars exploded behind his eyelids, Kravitz moaning around him and pulling every last drop from him.

After what might have been three days later for all he could tell, the white noise ringing in his ears finally receded and he could hear his own panting breaths harmonizing with Kravitz’s. He leaned heavily against the door and eventually was able to make limp pawing motions at Kravitz’s shoulder.

“Get that gorgeous face up here,” he managed to sputter out, eyes still closed and his head pressed heavily to his forearm. “Taako needs some kissin’ after that.”

Standing and wrapping his arms around Taako, Krav pulled him in and placed delicate kisses along his jaw. “I hope that was OK.”

“Jesus Christ, dude. I feel like I’ma need to start, I don’t know, taking salt tablets or something if you’re gonna suck the life outa me like that.” Taako let his head fall to Krav’s shoulder, hanging off the guy’s neck while he remembered how legs worked. “Maybe you need to warn a guy next time, huh?”

There was a definite roughness to Kravitz’s voice as he gave a small laugh. “Seems to me it was your idea in the first place. Can’t blame me for following through.”

He had a point, so instead of a witty riposte, Taako just kissed him.

In the back of his mind, though, he knew they couldn’t stay the rest of the night locked in the bathroom, no matter how out-of-the-way it was. Hell, it was a miracle that someone hadn’t already tried to pound down the door.

“So, homes, not sure I’m up to giving an equally impressive performance, but…”

He started rubbing his palm down Kravitz’s chest, to his stomach, lower, but before he could reach the fly of his pants, his boyfriend had halted his movement and pulled his hand away.

“Uh, that won’t be necessary.”

He took a half-step back, trying to fix Kravitz’s eye, but the man glanced away. Looking down, Taako was ~~hurt~~ surprised to not see any evidence of arousal. His insecurities reared their ugly heads: Was he not hot enough? Had he done something wrong? Had…

As if sensing his emotions, Krav tilted his chin up, finally meeting his glance. And while it was hard to tell if he was blushing, there was definitely an embarrassed tilt to his smile. “I, uh, well, let’s just say I really enjoyed that, and would love to spend more time with you, but, uh, in the interest of decency I should probably go home and change pants.”

Taako quirked an eyebrow. “Wait, you…” he waved his hand in the vague direction of his boyfriend’s crotch and Krav gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“What can I say, I really like you.” He leaned in and whispered into Taako’s ear. “And I really _really_ liked having your cock in my mouth.”

Now it was Taako’s turn to have his cheeks heat up.

Krav continued. “But I wasn’t kidding, I also would really _really_ like to go home and change my pants.”

After putting themselves more or less back together, Taako slowly opened the door and peeked out. To his relief, there wasn’t anyone waiting, so he gave Kravitz the sign it was safe, and they emerged, looking as close to being respectable adults as they could.

They made their way back to the table where Lup and Barry were now the ones making out like teenagers.

Taako cleared his throat. “Hey, so, uh, guys?”

Glasses askew and face flushed, Barry eventually looked at them hazily. “Huh?”

Lup’s lipstick was smeared, but her eyes were clear and sharp. “BroBro, as you can see, we’re right in the middle of some choice PDA. Can’t you two entertain yourselves for a little while longer?”

“I just wanted to let you know that Krav’s headed home and I’ma hitch a ride with him.”

“Oh,” Lup looked somewhat taken aback. “Well, if you’re sure.” She appraised them, and then her eyebrow arched once she took in their state, but she had the good grace not to say anything. “Uh, OK, well, it was good to see you again, Krav.”

Barry gave a little wave. “Nice to meet you!”

The ride home was quiet, but they held hands all the way to Taako’s place, only breaking contact when Kravitz needed to shift.

When they pulled up, Kravitz turned to face him. “Thanks for inviting me out tonight.”

“I’m glad you could make it.”

Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, Kravitz’s smile lit a traitorous little flame in Taako’s chest. “So…”

They sat there — maybe a little awkwardly — for a minute, and Kravitz didn’t finish his sentence, but it was pretty obvious he was waiting to get invited in, but… “So, uh, yeah, here’s the thing, bubelah. I’d invite you up, but, uh, I don’t really let anyone into the Taako-zone, ya dig? Like, even my fam has to get special dispensation to go into my room.”

He peeked up out of the corner of his eye, and was relieved to see Kravitz nod. “That’s fine. We’re still on for tomorrow night, though, right?”

Taako breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh yeah, Taako’s looking forward to having some good good one-on-one time with you, m’dude.”

A chuckle escaped the man. “ _Kravitz_ is looking forward to it, too.”

It wasn’t until after he was wiping off his makeup that Taako realized he still hadn’t asked Kravitz to his family’s game night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to everyone reading and leaving kudos and comments. They all mean so much to me ❤


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters are so long... so instead of having both POVs in one chapter, I'm going to break them down to alternating POVs by chapter.   
> Thanks to everyone who is still reading and to all who have left comments. Each one brings joy to my heart!  
> Happy V-Day. I'm celebrating Valentine's day by posting half of a date of two D&D-podcast characters!

While it was never a very lively place (haha), Kravitz couldn’t remember a quieter day at the mortuary.

He rifled through the “rainy-day” work pile again in an attempt to distract himself, but he’d already caught up on receivables, and Raven had done the payables the previous day. So the only thing left really was scanning documents for the company’s taxes and he absolutely _could not_ deal with that in his currently distracted frame of mind.

Looking up at the clock, he did the math. Only three hours and… oh… what would undoubtedly feel like an _infinite_ number of minutes to go before he was with his boyfriend again.

He groaned. The worst thing was that, because he had so much time on his hands, it was giving him _plenty_ of opportunity to think about things he _definitely_ should not be thinking about while at work: like how his jaw and throat and knees still ached from the previous night, and how the remembered taste of his boyfriend lingered deliciously on his tongue.

A wave of heat rushed through him and he unbuttoned the top button at his neck.

Probably best not to think of such things.

And while he’d failed at being productive the previous night, he couldn’t really complain. He was glad he’d gotten the chance to actually talk with Lup, and it was nice meeting Barry, who’d been pleasantly laid-back and welcoming.

And seeing the three of them together had given a wonderful glimpse into what Taako was like when he was around the people closest to him. Not to mention that it had been a huge relief to see that at least Taako’s twin was just an objectively better person than Keats’ twin siblings.

Perhaps the best thing about the evening, though, was that Taako had even wanted him to meet his family in the first place. It gave him hope that maybe, _just maybe_ , Taako was falling as hard for him as Kravitz was for Taako. Even with the difficulties they’d experienced, he felt that there was so much promise in their relationship, and having the hint of reciprocation made his heart feel light and giddy.

(Of course, getting the opportunity to play out some of the fantasies he’d entertained since they’d first met certainly hadn’t been a disappointment, either. To actually have the opportunity to take Taako in his mouth, the feeling of twitching fingers pulling at his locs as his boyfriend face-fuc…)

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

_Think of the devil._

**Taako** **❤** **: BAAAAAAAAAABE! (2:35 PM)**

Kravitz took a cleansing breath, glad not only for the contact but for the distraction from his libidinous thoughts. **WHAAAAAAT? (2:35PM)** he texted back.

**Taako** **❤** **: Its the END of the WORLD! (2:35 PM)**

He shook his head a bit at his boyfriend’s histrionics. **Oh no! Well, I’m pretty sure you and I won’t be able to repopulate the species after an apocalypse, but I suppose we won’t know until we try [winking emoji]. (2:36 PM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: Normally I’d be v interested in taking that thought process as far as itd go, but right now Taako is Serious (2:36PM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: I feel soo bad, kravvy (2:36 PM)**

That was the first moment that gave Kravitz pause. **What’s wrong? Are you OK? (2:37 PM)**

**Taako** **❤** **: NO! I just got word Grandpa McDonald is in the hospital (2:38 PM)**

Kravitz wasn’t sure what to make of that. He couldn’t remember Taako ever mentioning a “Grandpa McDonald”. Before he could write any follow up, though, he got another text.

**Taako** **❤** **: So that means I have to watch Agnus tonight (2:38 PM)**

Oh.

Kravitz sagged.

Even though he knew it was ridiculous to feel so forlorn, especially considering they’d just seen each other the previous night, he’d been really looking forward to seeing Taako _again_.

The Buddha was right: expectations led to suffering.

His phone buzzed again.

**Taako** **❤** **: u angry? (2:43 PM)**

He came back to himself. He’d not meant to leave Taako hanging so long. **No. Just disappointed. (2:42 PM)**

He hit “send” before he had a chance to think about how Taako might interpret that response. Would Taako think he was disappointed _in_ _him_? He quickly typed some more. **I just really enjoy our time together. But I understand that other things are important, and I don’t want you to worry about me being upset. I want you to be there for Angus. [heart emoji] (2:43 PM)**

This time, _he_ was left waiting, and after several anticipatory minutes, he eventually put down his phone. He had no doubt that there was a lot going on at Taako’s end: arranging to pick up Angus from school, maybe? Checking in on the old man?

Still, he would have liked to know that Taako understood he wasn’t upset with him about the cancellation.

Time went by, and he had just started scanning receipts to take his mind off things when he finally heard his phone ring. He scrambled to pick it up.

“Taako?”

“You really are that good a dude, huh?” Taako’s voice came over the line, rueful and soft.

His muscles unclenched. “Taako. Things come up. What kind of asshole would be angry at you for having to cancel because of a family emergency?”

There was a pause. “You’d be surprised, Kravvy, but now isn’t the time for that.” There was another pause, and Kravitz could hear background chatter, and then, as though Taako has turned his mouth away from the phone, he heard him say: _“Yeah, yeah, I’m going to ask him. Hold your horses, buckeroo. Geez!”_

“So, Krav,” Taako said, his voice returned to the usual volume, but pitched up a bit higher even than normal. “Uh, how would you feel like watching the baby with me tonight?”

There was an indignant squawk in the background, and then Taako’s voice was muffled again. _“You heard what I said. What are you, like, two?”_

More irate chatter sounded in the background while Taako laughed. The noise eventually quieted and Kravitz heard a door close. “Sorry ‘bout that. The _baby_ doth protest too much. So whaddya say, homes? I know its not a fancy dinner and a sweaty night of _you know what,_ but are you game to hang with me and Ango?”

Krav felt a sudden surge of anxiety. “Um, well…”

Even without seeing Taako, he could feel the energy shift. “Totally cool if you don’t wanna. I get it. Babysitting _sucks_! Like the _worst,_ and…”

Kravitz interrupted. “No, it’s… it’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just that I don’t have a lot of experience with children. And I want to make sure Angus is OK with me being there. If it isn’t too much with his grandfather being sick, and being introduced to someone new.”

“Oh!” There was a high-pitched laugh. “Yeah, well, he’s the one that suggested I invite you, so no problem there. He’s, well, full disclosure: he’s a nosy little brat and has been bugging me to introduce you guys since, like, the first time we had coffee together? As for being good with kids? Homie, I’m _shit_ with kids, but Ango’s not too bad, and we can swear and stuff around him, so it’s _fine_.”

“Well, I suppose as long as we can swear around him, it’s OK,” Kravitz said with an only-slightly-nervous laugh. “Do you want me to come over there, or…?”

“Actually, I thought we could meet somewhere? I wanna get him out and doing something. It’s not the first time Grandpa McDee has been in the hospital, but…” he paused. “Well, he wasn’t looking too good when we left, and I think it kinda rattled the kid.”

Taking a deep breath, Kravitz fought down his own associations with people not looking good in hospitals. “Of course. Whatever you feel is best. Unfortunately I’m the only one at work today, so I can’t really leave early. I could probably get together around 5:15, 5:30, though? Depending where you wanted to meet?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. We need some time to get him some clothes and things, anyway. And I was thinking about taking the little dude to a putt putt place that’s pretty close to your work, so yeah, after five is just about right.”

“Great. Sure. Just let me know the address, then,” he said, casually, totally not panicking at all.

They hung up, and he sagged back in his chair.

Shit.

He took some deep breaths.

Did he feel anxiety, just in general, about meeting the people in Taako’s life?

Of course.

Was he _especially_ nervous about meeting Angus?

Oh _hell_ yes.

When he’d first learned that Taako mentored the boy, he’d been really impressed; not only because it showed that Taako had a kind and generous heart, but also because it was so far removed from something Kravitz would ever have felt comfortable doing himself.

It was just so admirable. But also _really_ outside his own comfort zone. As an only child, whose best friend was also an only child, he’d not had to deal with younger siblings. And it wasn’t like his family had been involved with community groups or anything where he was exposed to kids on a regular basis.

Then, as an adult, the few times he had been around children, they had always shied away from him.

(Or, on a few devastating occasions, started bawling the second they saw him.)

He always tried to tell himself it was because he was tall, right? It made sense that short, proto-humans would be unnerved around a really tall, possibly imposing, figure.

Brian, though, had perhaps been more realistic when he’d reminded Kravitz that their poor reaction probably had more to do with the fact that Kravitz dressed like the Grim Reaper and carried himself like a dead man in awkward situations.

He assessed his outfit and sighed. Of course today was the day he’d decided to wear his raven-themed cufflinks and tie clip, and his skull signet ring.

Well, he could take all that off, and really, if Angus could handle Taako’s sharp mouth and callous nature, surely he’d be OK around Kravitz, even if he did present as a bit macabre.

Right?

To take his mind off things, he started scanning receipts again and had gotten through all of Raven’s Rest’s expenses through August of the previous year when it was finally time to head out.

Taako had texted him the address, and when he’d mapped it, it wasn’t far at all. And while he sort of wished he had time to go and change out of his suit, he figured he could get away with taking off his jacket and rolling his sleeves for a slightly less formal look.

As out of place as his somber appearance had been at the Crystal Kingdom, he stood out even more at _The Adventure Zone Mini Golf._ Entering the giant building, he could see there were three courses extending from the main central hub: two in bright lights with whimsical paintings, and a third in blacklight. The brightly colored carnival scenes, animatronic out-of-control train, and day-glo painted mushroom decor truly made him feel like a stranger in a strange land.

“Krav! Over here!”

Turning, he saw Taako leaning against a wall, golf club casually perched on one shoulder and a bright pink backpack glowing incandescently on the other. Next to him, also with a golf club, appeared to be a newsboy from the 1920s.

He suddenly felt just the tiniest bit more comfortable about his attire.

“Hello, Mr. Kravitz, sir,” the boy said, craning his neck way back to look in Kravitz’ eyes. As he did, his little pageboy hat almost fell off, but he scrambled to catch it and then extended his hand. “I’m Angus MacDonald. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

The boy was undeniably and irrefutably adorable, and Kravitz immediately felt a small, Angus-shaped spot appear in his heart. Even better, the child hadn’t started crying or freaking out at Kravitz’s appearance, so he definitely considered it a win.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Angus. And you can just call me “Kravitz” or “Krav”.”

“Nice try, fella,” Taako said, rolling his eyes. “But you’re stuck with “Mr. Kravitz” or “sir”. The little dude can’t help but make things like _super_ formal. He still calls _me_ sir and I’m about as far from a “sir” as you can get while still having a dick.”

Kravitz’s breath caught at Taako’s flippant vulgarity, but Angus seemed unphased.

“It’s just about being polite,” the little boy said, and a slightly smart-assed expression lit up his face as he glanced at Taako. “Something you could probably be a little better about, if you don’t mind my saying so, _sir.”_

Taako burst out laughing, pulling the brim of Angus’ hat down over his eyes and holding it there. “Sure thing, Ango. I’ma get right on that.” He continued to keep the brim down while Angus squirmed to disentangle himself. “Heya hottie,” Taako said, looking up at his boyfriend through his eyelashes.

“Hello, beautiful,” he responded, and they exchanged a quick peck on the lips. Kravitz cast a glance at Angus as he continued to struggle. “You should probably let him out.”

Taako rolled his eyes, but after one last tap on the head, let go.

“I’m glad you could join us,” Angus said once he’d managed to set his hat once again to rights, acting as though nothing had even happened. “Mr. Taako always cheats if you don’t watch him, so it’ll be nice to have a second set of eyes to keep him honest.”

Kravitz cast a dubious glance in Taako’s direction. “You cheat at mini golf?”

“Of course not!” Taako proclaimed, hand held over his heart dramatically. “It’s a scurrilous lie!”

“Excuse me, sir, but you _do_ cheat. _Every time we play_. And using a big word doesn’t lend you credence.”

“It’s not _cheating_ if the rule you’re breaking is stupid.” Taako hefted the backpack off his shoulder and held it out to Kravitz. “Here, since you’re all muscly and strong, you can lug around the kid’s bag.”

As he took the pack, he was actually a little surprised at the heft of it, but he strapped the satchel onto his back nonetheless. Looking up, he saw both Taako and Angus stifling laughter. No doubt the contrast between his dove grey silk shirt/charcoal waistcoat combo with the little-kid, bright pink bag riding high on his shoulders was hilarious.

“Does it suit me?” he asked, quirking his shoulder up in a little pose.

The breathless laughter that escaped from both Taako and Angus made the fashion faux-pas entirely worth it.

Walking further into the place, Angus looked up at him. “Do you know what color ball you’d like, sir? Pink is my favorite color, so I claimed that. And Mr. Taako chose purple.”

“Do they have black?”

“Fucking predictable,” Taako snorted as he pulled a black golf ball from his pocket. “Told ya, kid.”

Angus’ shoulders slumped, and then he reached into his pocket and handed Taako a gumball, which Taako proceeded to pop into his mouth and chew on obnoxiously.

Kravitz looked between the two of them. “Wait, was that a bet? Did you two really bet on what color ball I’d pick?” He turned to Taako. “And did you just take _a child’s_ _bubblegum_?”

“Ya Goddamned right! Angles was all “oh, he won’t choose black. He won’t be able to see it in the dark”,” he mimicked a whinier impression of Angus’ voice. “And I told him you were way too into your aesthetic to care, and I was right!” He held out a wristband. “I didn’t get you a club, though. Just show this to that kid over there and he’ll hook you up.”

“You paid for me?”

“It’d be pretty shitty if I didn’t, right? You know, since I’m making you hang out with me and the kid?”

Kravitz turn Taako to face him. “You’re not _making_ me do anything, Taako. I’m here because I want to be with you and because I wanted to meet Angus,” he said, giving a smile to the boy, who’s returning grin was like a ray of sunshine.

Taako looked uncomfortable, but eventually pulled him down by the neck to kiss his cheek. “Sweet talker. But I _probably_ just paid because I figured you’d be more likely to buy the kid and me dinner later if I did.”

He kissed Taako’s forehead in return. “I would love to get you both dinner. And for the record, I’m very much looking forward to this,” he said.

And it wasn’t a _lie_. He was looking forward to spending time with Taako, of course, and he was glad he was being allowed to meet Angus, whom Taako obviously cared a lot about in spite of his put-upon attitude and snarky commentary.

But anxiety was a kick in the ass, and the pressure of meeting the boy — combined with not being sure he’d ever actually played putt putt — was making him a _little_ on uncomfortable.

As tall as he was, there wasn’t really a putter that actually fit his stature, but he took the longest one they had and gave an only partially-strained smile to the pair. “Shall we?”

He let Taako and Angus go first, observing their technique. He’d played real golf exactly one time in his life, and it had been a thoroughly embarrassing and unpleasant endeavor. Of course, mini golf wasn’t really the same, but it was still intimidating when he desperately wanted to not make an ass of himself in front of his boyfriend and his boyfriend’s mentee.

After his first putt, he _really_ hoped that Taako would remember that he’d at least been good at shooting pool.

“Whoa! Take it back a skosh, homie,” Taako said as Angus went to go find his ball, which had jettisoned somewhere into the darkness.

“Sorry,” he said with a grimace. “I was hoping to show a bit better than that.”

The expression on his boyfriend’s face softened. “Aw, no need to try and prove yourself, babe. I’m already  _plenty_  impressed with you.”

He jumped a little as he felt Taako’s hand squeeze his ass. “Taako! Angus might see!” He darted his eyes to where the little boy had gone.

“It’s dark and the kid’s back is turned,” Taako said with a wink. "And there is no possible way you can blame me for wanting a little sugar." He leaned in. "Couldn't concentrate for shit all day thinking of you sucking me off last night. Not to mention that you were so hot for me you jizzed in your pants."

"Taako!" he gasped again, even more scandalized as he took a step back.

Taako held his hands up in acquiescence. "Fine. _Fine_. Just tease me with those tight pants and toned forearms and leave cha’boy wanting more..."

Well, and the problem was, _he_ was also left wanting more. He longed for Taako. Felt light headed at the thought of Taako pressed against him. He looked around, and he didn’t _see_ Angus, so he stepped back closer. "Well, I'm definitely left wanting more, too." One last look to see if the little boy was watching, then he pulled Taako close and gave him a more heated kiss to demonstrate his fervency.

"Ahem!"

The two broke apart, guilt settling in Kravitz’s gut like a lead weight.

"Uh, hey D’jango. Uh, we were just, uh..." Taako babbled.

Angus rolled his eyes. "I know about kissing, Mr. Taako. Despite your aspersions, I'm _not_ a _baby_." He held out the black golf ball to Kravitz. "Here you go, sir.”

Kravitz was mortified. “Thank you, Angus, and I am so sorry to be inappropriate in front…”

Angus shrugged. “Don’t worry, sir: after being around Mr. Taako for so many years, I don’t really think anything could shock me at this point.”

After the first couple of holes, he eventually found his stride, realizing that putt putt actually had more in common with pool than real golf anyway. It was about geometry rather than force, but with the added challenge that an automated gerblin might knock your ball away from the hole, or that the slope of a pyramid might suddenly change from some mechanical tomfoolery.

But, bless his little heart, every time Kravitz made an ass out of himself, Angus was quick to encourage him and tell him how much better he was getting.

Over the course of their first nine holes, he learned that Taako had been mentoring Angus for almost five years, that Angus had recently skipped another grade and would be starting high school classes soon. Also, that he wanted to be a detective when he grew up.

It was by far the most coherent conversation he’d ever had with a child, but, of course, he was learning that Angus McDonald was hardly the average kid.

“Do you mean you want to be a police detective, or more like a private investigator?” he asked.

Angus looked contemplative for a moment as Taako did a few practice swings at the tee.

“It would be really neat if I could be a consulting detective, like Sherlock Holmes or Caleb Cleveland, but unfortunately it’s not a very realistic goal. Outside of books and movies, PIs don’t tend to investigate crime so much as they spy on cheating spouses. Also, I don’t think being in private practice is as steady a job and would therefore be a less reliable source of income. So, I guess I’d have to say: “police detective.””

Kravitz’s heart melted a little more. “That’s quite a mature analysis, Angus.”

The boy smiled and nodded. “It’s important to think of problems from all angles when you’re an investigator. _And_ to be realistic in terms of solutions.”

As he listened to Angus, from the corner of his eye, Kravitz saw Taako sneakily kick his ball until it was about an inch from the hole. At the same time, a shadow passed over the little boy’s feature and he turned his attention away. “Mr. Taako! I saw that!”

Looking incredibly guilty, Taako glared. “What? Nuh-uh. You didn’t see nuthin’.”

“I saw it, too, darling.”

Taako gasped, eyes wide. “Betrayal!” he said, rounding on Kravitz. “You’re supposed to be on _my_ side!”

“Sweetheart, I’m not taking sides. I just want to be sure that we’re being fair.”

“And I’m tryin’ ta teach the kid how the world really works.” He knelt down and put his hands on Angus’ shoulders. “Winners make their own rules, Ango. Remember that.”

“Taako, I don’t know that teaching him to cheat is a good lesson.”

His boyfriend rolled his eyes. “If Ango is going to get anywhere in life, he’s gonna need to learn how to circumvent the system when he needs to. _You_ can be “good role model dad” or whatever, but Taako ain’t gonna lie to the kid. Now,” he stood back up. “Let’s get something to drink before we tackle the next round,” he said as he ushered Angus in the direction of the snack shack garishly proclaiming itself _The The Adventure Zone Zone,_ that sat between the end of the first course and the beginning of the second.

Kravitz’s steps, though, faltered.

The phrase _“Good Role Model Dad_ ” was bouncing around inside his head.

Then the echo condensed to a single word:

 _Dad_.

With his own negative experiences, Kravitz had never really even entertained the thought of being a dad himself. It wasn’t like he would ever _accidentally_ father a child, and in the one conversation he’d had with Keats about whether his fiancé might ever want to adopt in the future, neither had been terribly invested in the idea.

But watching as Taako teased and played with Angus, the thought that he might one day be in a position to be seen as a father figure was suddenly brought to the fore. And, to his surprise, as he looked at the charming little boy currently standing on tip-toes and ordering a soda and some candy, he found that the idea of being in Angus’ life as a parental figure was actually a very lovely thought.

He felt an elbow poke him none-too-gently in the ribs. “Taako to Kravitz. Come in Kravitz. Over,” Taako said, covering his mouth and punctuating his sentences with fake static noises. “Everything OK over here, homie?”

“Uh, yeah,” he said, surprised that it was the truth. He hitched Angus’ backpack further up onto his shoulders. “Everything is fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading. Part two of this date will be posted soon!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second half of date night from Taako's POV.

“So, I won, right?” Taako asked, putting his face right in the way of where Angus was using the little half-pencil to tally their scores.

“Hold _on_ Mr. Taako,” Angus said, angling his neck away from his mentor’s intrusion and scrunching up his little nose as he concentrated.

Taako stepped back, then took a moment to determine that he was out of Angus’ line of sight before he allowed a fond smile to touch his lips. Ango was ungodly smart in everything humanities related, but he’d struggled a bit with algebra, and his A-student perfectionism had resulted in some mad anxiety when he didn’t get functions right away. So, even though this was just simple addition, seeing his boy no longer freeze up when confronted with numbers warmed Taako’s heart.

Of course, it wouldn’t do to show such soppy emotions, though, so he gave a heavy groan. “Fiiiine. I guess I’ll just _wait._ ”

“No need to tally mine, Angus. We all know I lost,” Kravitz said.

Taako looked up at his boyfriend sharply. “Oh nonononono. I want to know _exactly_ how much better I am, so you do ‘em all, Ango. It’s good _practice_.” He tilted his head and tried to communicate _let him do this_ using only a pressed lip moue and his eyebrows. “You think police detectives never have to do math? You gotta… count dead bodies. And like, keep track of your conviction average and stuff.”

It was hilarious seeing the light dawn in Kravitz’s eyes. “Oh, yes, of course.” He cleared his throat. “Yes, math would be an integral part of a detective’s daily routine, I would imagine.”

Angus gave a sigh. “I get it, sirs. Math is important.”

Taako had to bite his knuckle not to laugh at the weary sound in Ango’s voice, but when he looked up to see Kravitz also holding back a smile, he was unable to keep from snorting.

They were just _so smooth_.

Kravitz put an arm around his shoulder and pulled him close as Angus continued to work. Nuzzling through Taako’s thick waves of hair, his lips brushed against the shell of his ear. “He really is a wonderful little boy,” he whispered.

Taako felt a shiver run down his spine at the contact, but it was offset by the warmth that filled his heart. “Yeah. I guess. But don’t say it _too_ loud.”

He was really glad everything had gone as well as it did. Not that it had been stress-free inviting Kravitz to hang out with him and Lup and Barry — and the prospect of introducing him to the rest of his family on game night was still incredibly daunting — but Taako had been especially nervous about Angus and Kravitz meeting.

He might have been pretty oblivious at knowing what to do in _real relationships_ , but he did know that you had to be careful introducing your kids to people you were dating; you had to make sure the person was going to be a positive influence and would be around for a while. And no, maybe Ango wasn’t technically his kid ~~yet~~ , but the idea still stood.

The thing was, Angus was _special_. The boy was a brat, yeah. A smart little know-it-all that Taako absolutely should not have cared about in the slightest.

But there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his beautiful, magic boy.

“I won!” Angus finally crowed, holding the scorecard aloft as he bounced on his toes.

“Let me see that,” Taako said, snatching the card from the boy and looking it over. A quick perusal showed that the math was correct, and again Taako felt proud. He tilted it back and forth as though looking to see if it was tampered with. “Hmm. I don’t know. I think you musta erased stuff.”

“But there’s no eraser!” Angus said, brandishing the little nub of a pencil.

Kravitz swooped into the scene again, placing a tentative hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Congratulations, Angus,” he said. “And thank you for showing me the ropes.”

“Yeah, yeah, ‘grats, little man,” Taako said, bopping the top of Angus’ hat.

As they walked to Kravitz’s car, Taako fell a few paces behind the other two — _certainly_ not to check out his boyfriend’s ass or anything, perish the thought — and had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. In addition to a view of those tight buns, the perspective also gave him a hilarious view of Angus’ little pink backpack sitting high on Kravitz’s shoulders. It was some seriously, _ridiculously_ funny shit. He opened his mouth to say how pink was really his color, but before he could say anything, he felt the need to flex his jaw a few times. Weird.

Then he realized just how much his cheeks and stomach hurt.

 _Then_ he realized it was from laughing so much, and that that only usually happened when he was hanging out with his _family_.

“So, Angus: have you seen _Murder on the Rockport Limited,_ yet? I think it looks better than _The Mystery of the Bulwark Staff,_ ” Kravitz asked the little boy, oblivious to the import of Taako’s discovery.

Taako shelved his thoughts and hustled up to push between the two. “Waitwaitwaitwatiwait. _You_ watch Caleb Cleveland movies?”

A look was exchanged between his boyfriend and Angus, and Taako very much didn’t like the idea of the two of them being in cahoots together.

“Sure,” Kravitz said. “They’re like Harry Potter, only better conceived and with a lot more diversity and inclusion. They’re enjoyable for every age.”

“See, sir! I told you!” Angus exclaimed, still bouncing off the walls under the influence of soda and candy from their little snack break earlier.

Taako harrumphed. “Geez, I knew I shoulda never introduced you two! With your nerd powers combined…!”

Angus interrupted him by tugging on his sleeve. “Excuse me, sir, but didn’t you have a big D&D party a couple weeks ago?” Angus smiled, the feigned picture of innocence. “Some would say _that_ was a pretty nerdy activity.”

“Ango! Ixnay on the Ungeonsday and agonsdray!” Taako said through clenched teeth. He shot a look at Kravitz, trying to gauge his boyfriend’s reaction at knowing that he, _Cool Dude Taako™_ , played a nerd game like Dungeons and Dragons.

“Really? _You_ play D&D?” Kravitz asked.

“Um… _Maybe?”_ He shifted uncomfortably. “Like, sometimes, when there’s nothing better to do, I _might_ let the boys talk me into playing. _”_

The grin that tweaked Kravitz’s lips wasn’t ridiculing at all, though, and the sparkle in his eye spoke more to excitement than anything else. “Well, if you all ever need someone who can cast Bardic Inspiration or Vicious Mockery, I have a pre-rolled character I used to play, and it would be fun to dust them off. I could adjust them to whatever level you’re all at.”

And there was no hint of teasing in his tone. No judgement. Only acceptance and affection.

Again, Taako was left wondering how a dude could be so ~~perfect for him~~ mostly-OK.

“Uh, yeah. Sure. I bet I could get Barry to write you in.”

“If you think your party would be OK with it, that would be great,” Kravitz said, smile widening, and the warmth of his voice flickered in Taako’s chest.

Angus pulled at Kravitz’s arm to get his attention again. “We don’t have streaming, so I haven’t seen _Rockport_ yet. But we rented _The Case of the Temporal Chalice_ from the library two weeks ago. Did you see that one?”

“I did. My friend Brian thought the gambler was the culprit,” Kravitz said, rolling his eyes in an exaggerated manner.

Angus looked hilariously aghast. “That wouldn’t have made any sense!”

Matching the boy’s energy, Kravitz seemed equally incredulous. “That’s what I told him!”

Seeing the honest, genuine smile on Ango’s face made Taako relax. Earlier that day in the hospital, the little guy had been so incredibly downcast and worried. And sure, it wasn’t like everything was just magically all right again — they’d still have to deal with Grandpa McD and this latest round of health problems — but for the moment, they were just three people having silly fun together.

Krav and Angus were animated as they talked about stupid Caleb Cleveland, and Angus’ own desire to be a detective, and a bunch of other rando stuff. Kravitz seemed honestly engaged, and after the dude’s assertion that he didn’t have experience with kids, it was really very endearing.

The unbidden idea that Kravitz would make a pretty good dad crossed his mind. That the three of them, together…

He nipped that little thought right in the bud.

“Did _you_ guess who it was?” Angus asked.

Kravitz’s face scrunched up. “I’ll admit, I didn’t get it until pretty late. I thought it was the miner.”

“Well, but at least _that_ kinda makes sense. The gambler had no motive!”

“I know! I think Brian just had it out for them because of the spider scene.”

They’d arrived at Krav’s car, so Taako decided to re-insert himself into the conversation. “Hey, so, I hate to interrupt this _fascinating_ discussion of a movie I haven’t seen, but maybe we should decide what we want for dinner?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” Kravitz said, and the sap even looked sheepish about having forgotten. “I’m not sure what you two have a taste for.”

“Pizza!” Angus yelled.

Rolling his eyes in an exaggerated manner, Taako sighed. “Well, I was _going_ to recommend _La Pont- Neuf_ so we could have some of their _exquisite_ escargot, or maybe that new Icelandic place where you eat a sheep’s face right off the skull…”

And bullseye! Angus’ face was a study in disgusted shock. “EW!”

Kravitz nodded, a matching grimace on his face. “I’m with Angus: Ew.”

Taako executed his best “put-upon” shrug. “Fiiiiine. Heaven forbid I try to elevate your pedestrian palates,” he said, the embodiment of exasperation. (The kid didn’t need to know that pizza actually did sound incredibly good.) “Pizza cool with you, babe?”

“Sure. But I have to ask a follow-up question.” He looked seriously down at Angus. “Do we go _out_ for pizza, or go to my place, order delivery, and watch _Murder on the Rockport Limited?”_

Angus’ eyes lit up and he turned to him. “Can we, Mr. Taako?”

Kravitz looked over to him. “Would that be OK?”

“Pbbt!” Taako blew a wet raspberry between his lips. “Yeah, I _guess_ I can stand to watch you too nerd out to some kid’s movie. But only if we order from Pascale’s.”

There was some discussion as to toppings while they drove, but ultimately Kravitz just handed over his credit card and told him to order whatever he wanted, so he went to the online ordering app and added on some garlic-cheesy bread and a pint of Angus’ favorite ice cream.

Arrived at their destination, they headed up to Krav’s apartment, and while Angus continued to blabber on to his boyfriend about something or other, Kravitz discretely took hold of Taako’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

The thought of the three of them being a family popped into his head again and a small orb of panic — or some emotion that he didn’t feel ready to look at?— bubbled in his stomach. He quickly stuffed it down again.

“So, uh, we gotta take off our shoes, little man,” he said as his boyfriend opened the door to his place. “Oh, and there’s a kitty, so we don’t wanna be too loud, huh?”

The look that Kravitz gave him was adoring. Unsure how to handle it, he flashed him a peace sign and turned his attention to taking off his booties.

“Sure thing, sir.” Angus nodded, and dutifully took off his little wingtips. “I always wanted a cat, but my grandfather’s allergic.”

“Well, we’ll brush you down later so the fur doesn’t mess with him.”

“And just so you know, this is Persephone’s favorite time to nap, so we might not see her for a while,” Kravitz said. “But come right about the time that you start feeling sleepy, I’m sure she’ll be all rested and ready to play.”

They had a little while before the pizza was set to arrive, and Kravitz went into the kitchen to get them all something to drink. While he did, Angus, (always on the case), looked around the apartment wide-eyed and observant. For a moment, Taako had the temptation to grill the kid later to see what conclusions he’d drawn about Kravitz, but he stifled that instinct. Instead, he just leaned against the couch. “Pretty swank place, huh kiddo?”

“It’s very nice,” Angus said, offhand and distracted. He was perusing Krav’s bookshelf but keeping his hands to himself. When Kravitz came to give him some water, he smiled wide. “I’ve never seen a harpsichord in person before, Mr. Kravitz,” Angus said, looking over at the instrument. “Would you play something for us?”

Kravitz gave a surprised laugh. “I’m more used to people asking me _not_ to play that asking me _to_ play, but sure.”

As he sat down, there was a noticeable shift in his posture; his shoulders rolled back, his spine elongated. He hovered his fingertips over the keys for just a moment, and even though both Taako and Angus were watching and waiting for the music to begin, both of them gave a little jump at the first notes.

Whoa.

It wasn’t that Taako hadn’t expected Kravitz to be good. The dude had gone to Legato, after all, but he hadn’t really stopped to consider _how_ good Kravitz might be. He could honestly say he’d never heard anything quite so incredible before. Even when Barry and Lup played, it was nothing compared to the skill and passion radiating from his boyfriend as he filled the room with sweet music.

Taako was enraptured.

Of course, part of the appeal was at least partially due to the look on the man’s face as his fingers flew over the keys. He looked so at peace that it almost took his breath away: the way Kravitz’s eyelashes fanned over his cheeks in closed-eyed concentration as the tempo sped up; how his glance darted to Angus with a silly expression to make the boy giggle during playful parts; the tilt of his head towards Taako in a tender passage.

Taako felt his heart thud in his chest, resonating with the vibration of the notes, the energy, the lo…

…

Oh.

Oh god.

…

He couldn’t be.

…

Oh, fuck.

Somehow, in spite of himself, in spite of literal years of fighting not to feel emotions, he was…

No. He refused to even think the “L” word.

(But it sat there in the back of his mind.)

The notes grew to a crescendo, and then he realized that there was silence behind the ringing in his ears, and he could distantly hear Angus clapping as though from a distance, and it slowly dawned on him that there was no more music.

In slow motion, he turned to look at Kravitz, who was watching him intently, a little crease between his eyebrows.

“Taako?”

He swallowed dryly, blinking his eyes. “Unbelievable,” he managed to squeak out.

A small quirk of full lips and Kravitz tilted his head. “‘Unbelievable’ in a _good_ way, I hope?”

“In an _amazing_ way.”

The smile that bloomed on his boyfriend’s face filled Taako’s heart with a warmth he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt before. He shot a look at Angus. “Yo, Ango, turn around, ‘k?”

The boy looked up at him quizzically. “Why sir?”

“’Cause I gotta smooch this boy to within an inch of his life.”

Angus rolled his eyes, but turned around, and Taako wrapped his arms around Kravitz’s neck and followed through on his threat.

A few hours later, surrounded by pizza boxes and an empty pint of ice cream, they were sagged on Kravitz’s couch. Angus’ head was leaned heavily against Taako’s arm and small snores sneaked out of his nose as the final credits rolled past of their second Caleb Cleveland movie that night.

Not like Taako had really been paying attention to either movie.

He’d been Preoccupied.

“So, I know it wasn’t exactly the date night you mighta wanted…” Taako started with no real idea on how he wanted to end the sentence. Thankfully, his boyfriend finished for him.

“…But it was very nice nonetheless.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He looked into Kravitz’s face and, to his surprise, it looked like he was telling the truth.

“Yeah, well, I can just tell you two are gonna be trouble together.” He sighed, then ran a hand through Angus’ springy curls. “I guess I should start thinking about packing this little guy up to go home.”

Kravitz looked over at where Angus was sacked out next to Taako. “It seems a pity to wake him. And it is rather late. I could grab some blankets and we could just make a bed for him on the couch.”

Taako bit his lip and lowered his voice. “But if _he’s_ on the couch, wherever will _I_ sleep?” he asked, fluttering his eyelashes.

“I might have an idea,” Kravitz said, leaning over and giving him a soft, lingering kiss.

It took a lot of willpower to pull back. “Welp, you convinced me. I guess I should let the crew know we won’t be home.”

This time, he gave some reassuring info in his text message to keep the fam from worrying. _Ango conked out so crashing at Krav’s. Everything is cool and comfy. Home tomorrow am._

As he was typing, Kravitz gently extricated himself from the snuggle pile and busied himself with moving things around. “Uh, Taako?”

“Yeah bubelah?”

“Um.”

Taako looked up from his phone to see a befuddled boyfriend crouched next to Angus’ backpack and holding a bunch of books. “Where are Angus’ pajamas? All that’s in here are books.”

He rolled his eyes. “Ug! He did it again!”  He gave Angus a gentle shake. “MacDango,” he said. “Wake up.”

Angus stirred, his glasses askew. “What? Whe…”

“You didn’t bring any clothes. _Again_.”

“Oh,” Angus said, sitting up and looking sheepish. “Well, I couldn’t fit any in my bag. And I just figured you’d let me borrow your stuff.”

“Well, we’re crashing here, so, poor planning, Dingus.”

He’d just been playing, and Ango knew by now that he didn’t mean anything by his teases, but Kravitz rushed over and placed a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry, Angus. We’ll figure it out. I’m sure I have some things for both of you. It just might look like you’re wearing a tent is all.”

The little boy smiled up at him. “That’s all right. I appreciate it, sir.”

Taako fixed Kravitz with a stern eye. “Oh great. Now _you’re_ gonna be his favorite and I’ll be chopped liver!”

Angus tapped his arm, and Taako considered continuing to pout, but he eventually turned to face him. “Don’t worry, Mr. Taako, you’ll always be my favorite.” The boy cast a glance up at Krav. “No offense, Mr. Kravitz.”

Kravitz chuckled. “None taken. After all, I think that everyone in reality is basically made to love Taako.”

Feeling a flush spread across his cheeks, Taako looked away and waved a dismissive hand. “Yeah, well, _obvs_. Taako’s the best! But ya’ll don’t have to suck up _quite_ so much.” He stood up. “OK, so Krav to the rescue. Let’s get this boy into somethin’ comfy so we can get our zzzs on.”

And yeah, when Angus came out of the bathroom wearing one of Kravitz’s t-shirts, it was every bit as ridiculously huge on him as Taako had anticipated; the bottom hem hanging down to about mid-shin and the neck hole sagging almost to the bottom of his sternum. And while Taako had already witnessed Kravitz’s nightly dreadlock-care routine, it was sweet to watch Angus observe the practice with such rapt attention. Even cuter was when Kravitz attempted to tame the boy’s frizzy curls, not taking the time to braid actual rows, but weaving it enough so that it didn’t look like the boy had put his finger into an electrical socket at least.

They finally got enough blankets on the couch to meet Taako’s specifications; a small mountain of fabric and pillows creating a barrier so that Angus was less likely to roll off in the middle of the night.

“It’ll be fine, sir,” Angus said, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, Yeah. I just don’t want you rolling off and disturbing us. You know cha’boy is real particular about his beauty sleep.”

“I know,” Angus said, crawling up and snuggling down into the comfy nest. He let out a yawn. “Good night, sirs.”

“Good night, Angus,” Kravitz said with a warm smile.

“Yeah, g’night, bud,” Taako echoed, booping him on the nose before taking the little guy’s glasses off, folding them neatly, and placing them on the coffee table.

As they headed down the hall, Taako lowered his voice. “Um, I know it sucks, but, we should probably leave your door open. I don’t want him to wake up not knowing where he is and freaking out.”

“That’s fine.”

“Aaaaand…” he made a face. “That means we probably shouldn’t fool around.”

Kravitz reached up and rubbed the arch of Taako’s cheekbone with his thumb. “Of course.” He pressed a soft kiss to Taako’s forehead. “As long as I get to hold you.”

The sweetness of the gesture and words made his cheeks heat up. He looked away. “OK, well, we’ll get our snuggle on tonight, but then you gotta promise to make it up to me next time.”

“Absolutely.”

They finally settled down into the big bed, Kravitz’s arm around him as Taako rested his cheek on his boyfriend’s chest. But just as he was settling in, a rumble of laughter made Taako’s head bounce.

“What’s the joke?”

He could hear the smile in Kravitz’s voice. “It’s just, all night I carried around that backpack and was wondering how the overnight bag for such a little boy could be so heavy!”

Taako snorted a laugh of his own. “Yeah, the little twerp won’t go anywhere without like five books on him.”

“He’s really something,” Kravitz said, his voice soft.

“Yeah, he is,” he said, the silence stretching for a moment. He was trying to keep it together, but in the dark, he didn’t have anything to distract himself with and all of a sudden, he was Talking.

“So, uh, I guess you should know.” Oh, this was making him feel all kinds of emotions and gunk, and he wanted to stop, but something inside him wouldn’t let him shut his mouth and it was moving and he was saying Important Things even though he didn’t want to. “Like, me and Ango are kinda a packaged deal. Like, when Grandpa McD finally snuffs it, there is no fucking way I’m gonna let Ango go through the foster-system roulette that me and Lup were put through. And maybe my own _bona fides_ don’t lend themselves well to adopting the little ankle-biter, but I have a plan: Lup and Barry are gonna do all the legal adopting shit, but then I can just do the actual dad-ing. You get it? You get what I’m saying?” He let out a long breath. “And well… if you’re gonna be around, I guess I just thought you should know.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Krav’s soft voice said: “All right.”

He took a deep breath, listening to the thud of Kravitz’s heart. Moments passed, and even though the tension in his muscles was releasing a little, there was still a buzz in the air of things unsaid.

Finally, Kravitz broke the silence. “I mentioned the other night that I haven’t talked to my dad in eighteen years.”

A feeling of disquiet rose in Taako’s stomach. “Yeah.”

Kravitz sighed. “My parents divorced when I was ten, and when my dad moved out, I hardly even noticed. He’s this big, successful trader: always working, never home. So, growing up, it wasn’t like he was around enough to miss, anyway.” Kravitz’s voice was low and reflective. “And, he could have been worse, right? When my mom died, he let me live at his place so I wouldn’t have to go into the system.” He sighed, and the next words seemed to pain him. “Some men wouldn’t have even done that much, but he did, and I’m grateful for that.”

Taako didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded.

“But he was an asshole, Taako. And, again, I’m thankful I didn’t have to go into foster care, but for years I lived with how much of a disappointment I was to him. It was always a matter of “too much” or “not enough.” How I didn’t have enough drive to be in business like he was. Or, how I was too introverted; that I wasn’t outgoing or charismatic enough to be successful in life.” He gave a bitter laugh. “Or, his favorite complaint was that I was too “artsy”, which as a kid I though was his way or complaining that I wasn’t simultaneously the star quarterback and founding my own startup, but that I later realized had more to do with the fact that I was gay.”

Taako had never known his parents, but even if he couldn’t really relate to specifically having a shitty dad, he did know plenty about adults being fucking awful caretakers. “You’re right, babe. He sounds like an asshole.”

Kravitz gave a small, rueful laugh. “Yeah, he was. I can only assume he still is.” He exhaled, long and heavy. “So, I didn’t really mean to go into all this, but I wanted to give you some background as to why I’ve never considered having much to do with children.”

Taako’s body tensed. Was this where Krav told him that Ango being in Taako’s life was a deal-breaker? He squeezed his eyes shut and pushed away. “Look, Krav, don’t ask me to choose between you and Angus ‘cause, full disclosure, you ain’t gonna win that contest.”

Beneath him, Kravitz shifted and then they were both on their sides, facing each other. “No, Taako. No. That isn’t what this is about.”

He kept his eyes shut, willing himself not to cry. “Then what is it about?”

When he felt Kravitz’s fingertips stroke the side of his face, Taako finally blinked, only to see his boyfriend’s warm eyes and gentle smile in the street-light-illuminated darkness. “I just wanted you to understand that I’d never had a good paternal role model, and that because of that, I’d never really thought about being in a child’s life before. But after tonight, I get it a little bit better. I can see why you care so much about Angus, and why you’d want to be his father. And that, if I could, I’d feel honored to be part of Angus’ life, too.”

And then a tear did spill from Taako’s eye. And another. And then Kravitz was holding him as he cried, and it felt safe and warm and like family and like coming home.

After his sobs had turned into hiccups, and then after even those had subsided, he scooched back a little.

“So, uh, apropos of nothing: my fam is having a game night Thursday.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” The silence between them lingered. He took a breath. “And I was hoping you could come.”

The arm around his shoulders tightened and drew him back in. “I’d love to.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and to everyone who has left kudos and comments! They mean the world to me!  
> As per usual; not beta-read, so apologies for typos.


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